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JOB 



HIS OLD FRIENDS 
AND HIS NEW FRIEND 

ALSO 

A STUDY OF WHAT 

THE BOOK OF JOB MEANS TO 

ALL MANKIND 



BY A PLAIN MAN, WHO HAS ABOUT FINISHED 

WITH WHAT IS CALLED BUSINESS, AND 

WRITES FROM EXPERIENCES, NOT 

ENTIRELY UNLIKE THOSE OF 



JOB 



Published from a thankful sense 
of duty which the writer owes 
to God our Father, to Christ our 
Saviour, and to our fellow men 



By JOHN S. HAWLEY 
"LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE" 



Press of 

FRY^ & SMITH 

San Diegro, CaL 






Copyright. 1912 

By JOHN S. HAWLEY 

San Diego, California 

All rights reserved 






MISTAKEN JOB 

Wandering in the wilderness — 
Worshiping the worldy god — 
Deceived by Behemoth — 
Finally sees a guiding light and becomes 

REGENERATED JOB 

Purified through suffering — 
Chastened through experience — 
Instructed by the Voice — 
lastly exemplifies and illustrates 

REGENERATED MAN 

Redeemed through Truth. 



l8t 




Physical Man 

"Our Frame." 

Our Earthly House. 

Dust of the Ground. 

Visible. 

Subject to Disease. 

Mortal. 



The Human Mind. 

The Great Unreliable. 

The Adam Man. 

"Of Evil." 

"Carnal Mind." 

Will-power. 

Invisible. 

Subject to Sin. 

Both these are of the earth, earthy. 



Spiritual Man. 

Life; Truth; Soul. 

"Image and Likeness.' 

Perfect and Immortal. 

Invisible. 

Not Subject to Sin, 

Disease nor Death. 

(See next page). 



PROPORTIONAL MAN. 

This idea is derived from an experience that came to the 
author in his early life, though not then comprehended. It 
is supported by observations and recollections during sev- 
enty years, while controlled by the "Thinking Man." 

Spiritual Man does not plan, scheme or plot, but his 
thoughts are in accord with Spirit, God, whose likeness he is. 



EXPLANATION. 

1st Line. — Fleshly man; man that is born of woman; of 
few days; flesh and blood; like a cancelled envelope, 
worthless after using. (Ps. 103:15-16.) 

2nd Line. — Reasoning man; the unlikeness of God; the 
Adam-man — married to a part of his own humanity 
(his "rib") ; the carnal mind not subject to the law of 
Good; selfish; crooked; presumptuous; changeable; 
sometimes right, but probably more frequently 
wrong; placing "knowledge" before wisdom; proud 
(See 1st Tim. 6:4-5)*; willing to confer with Satan; 
seeing his wants but not knowing his needs ; a dealer 
in troubles; developing and decaying, as the man of 
dust, for he is "of the earth, earthy." (See 1st Cor. 
15 :47-48.) 
The 1st and 2nd lines relate to humanity — that is, 

the human body and the physical senses. 

3rd Line. — The Real MAN, having Life eternal; the 
image and likeness of God; the "inner man"; the per- 
fect and eternal ; the apparent "sleeper" that must be 
awakened; the Christ-like element which must have 
dominion over all, from the "fish of the sea" to "every 
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" ! "Thy 
righteousness and Thy judgment." (Ps. 37:6.) 
As man advances in the "truth that shall make him 

free", the 3rd line will be the enduring, and finally will 

illustrate the Bible declaration, "the last shall be first". 

Life. Spirit. God. Truth. 

The true lesson of this concept is the superiority of the 

spiritual over the material; of wisdom over knowl- 

*He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and 
strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings. 

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the 
truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 
(I Tim. 6:4-5.) 



edge. Spiritual wisdom, comes through inspiration and 
revelation, a divine source, always unerringly true : from 
Spirit which is God. So has it been from the beginning 
even till now ! 

THE GREAT — UNRELIABLE. 

Human knowledge comes from a human source 
called thought, against which Jesus warns mankind in 
the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:37; 6:27-37). This 
thought is the fruit of the tree of knowledge, and though 
it clothes itself with what it is pleased to call learning, 
with its numberless offsprings and subdivisions, yet is it 
unsubstantial, because it is liable to change, and therefore 
uncertain and not to be depended upon. Many things 
which it considered in the past as truths, it now regards 
as falsities. Even the mind of the greatest human phil- 
osopher is often mistaken, and when it quietly looks at 
itself in the mirror of truth, it beholds its own deformity. 
The thinking man (human) "is of the earth, earthy". 



"It is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, 
and will bring to nothing the understanding of the pru- 
dent. . . . Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of 
this world?" (1st Cor. 5:19-20.) 



PREFACE 

Let me not be presumptuous. Let me not depend 
only upon opinions formed within my own human 
thought. Let me not be governed by selfishness, nor a 
willingness to disregard the opinions of others whose be- 
liefs are expressed in earnestness and sincerity. Neither 
let me insist on my own correctness. Rather do I pray 
for guidance from a source higher than human under- 
standing. While desiring to be considerate to all who 
have sought and are seeking a true understanding of 
the Bible, I am unable always to agree with them ; there- 
fore it becomes my duty to reply: *'Let us choose to us 
judgment; let us know among ourselves what is good." 
(Job 34:4.) I have listened to them and will be thank- 
ful if they will listen to me while I do my best to explain 
a concept of the meaning of one of the books of the Bible 
which differs somewhat from theirs. 

A philosopher writes of philosophy, though never 
claiming to fully understand his subject. An electrician 
speaks of electricity, while realizing he knows only the 
rudiments of its force. A chemist observes certain ef- 
fects, but can only partially explain them. So also a 
student of the Bible, or one of its grand books, must con- 
fess that he comprehends but a part of its meaning. 
However, there always may be value in honest deduc- 
tions. No man can claim perfection, but improvement 
is open to all. 

Those who read the book of Job, and even those who 
desire to study it, are apt to look for its grandest lessons 
in the arguments and sayings of the subject and his three 



S PREFACE 

old companions, in which there is so much to engage at- 
tention; so much of reasoning, so many comparisons, so 
many aphorisms and so large an amount of good advice 
withal. Absorbed with thoughts of these and perhaps 
a little wearied with them, they are inclined to hurry 
through what is said by the young man Elihu, and are 
thoughtlessly impressed with the idea that he merely 
continues the reproving sayings of the older men. 

Such readers or students fail perhaps to comprehend 
this ancient forerunner, who was sent to speak "in God's 
stead" (Chap. 33:6). So far as I know, this affirmation 
of Elihu is either denied or ignored by practically all 
sectarians. Those who so deny or ignore, have a right to 
their opinions, but the writer can neither agree with 
them nor admit their value, for from such careful study 
as is possible for him, comes the belief that the grandest 
words of instruction in the book of Job are found in the 
words of Elihu and in those which followed from the 
voice out of the whirlwind. There also comes to him the 
further belief that the book of Job allegorically illustrates 
and exemplifies the coming of the Christ to man and 
mankind, in all ages; the forever Christ who was **be- 
fore Abraham" and "before the world was". 

Furthermore, I believe the book typifies the regenera- 
tion and final redemption of all of Adam's mistaken and 
sinning race, through the discernment and realization of 
the ever-present influence of that power which comes to 
man from God (Good), through the Christ — the Saviour 
— who said, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the 
end of the world". This influence, to human eyes unseen 
and by human understanding scarcely recognized, is only 
developed through a spiritual awakening such as came to 
Job from the wonderful speech of Elihu, whose inspired 
words were far in advance of those who had preceded 



PREFACE 9 

him. This culminating speech enabled Job to discern the 
voice of Truth. But Jesus said, "Elias truly shall first 
come". 

Perhaps even those who have tried to read and study 
the Bible with closest care may incline to pass lightly 
over the speech of Elihu, because he begins in a manner 
so boyish and unpresuming. He expresses modesty, 
sympathy and kindness, which gracefully change to 
steadiness and firmness, as he answers the four older 
men, with ''knowledge from afar", which soon engages 
their amazed and attentive interest. And as he proceeds 
this interest increases. And so, even in this age, those 
who will read and carefully study the chapters of the 
book of Job from the 32nd to the 37th, inclusive, may in- 
deed find a forerunner of the understanding of Spiritual 
Truth, a gleam of dawn, which precedes and portends the 
coming of day. Even as this dawning came to Job thou- 
sands of years ago, so it may come in every age to the 
sincerely earnest seeker for spiritual light, which "shin- 
eth in darkness ; and the darkness comprehended it not". 

In publishing this little book, it is right to say that 
any man who has encountered and survived suffering, 
pain, discouragement and despair, "so that his life ab- 
horreth bread", and "which long for death, but it com- 
eth not", should be better prepared to study and com- 
prehend Job than those who have not passed through 
such conditions. The school of experience closes not its 
doors. My reason for this undertaking is to bring out 
an understanding of the book, which is built upon and 
sustained by experience, even more than by study, and 
grander far than experience is revelation. 

It is said that there is a certain amount of selfishness 
in every human act. I will not deny the assertion nor 
waste time in considering its truth or untruth. But this 



10 PREFACE 

I am happy to realize, namely : if selfishness has anything 
to do with my motive, it is only in minimum proportion. 
For, to all human appearance, I am an old man, well past 
the "three score and ten". Most of my old friends, and 
all of my cousins (of whom there were about fifty) have 
passed beyond this stage of existence and I am left 
standing alone, like an old tree — though with still a few 
green leaves. I have little or no ambition for personal 
advancement, neither does "poverty or riches" disturb 
or influence me (Prov. 30:8). I am better off than the 
great bankers and capitalists of Europe or America, for 
I have enough, while they have too much. Pity these 
poor men! 

So far as I can understand, the motive for publishing 
this book is unselfish and springs purely and happily 
from a desire to benefit my fellow men. With such re- 
sources of language as are herein embodied, I have en- 
deavored to do my duty. I appreciate theology, the 
churches, schools and colleges in that which is practical 
and useful, to the end that "all things be done decently 
and in order". Nevertheless, the needs of humanity are 
not fully met by pulpit oratory or literary pride, which 
not infrequently draw their votaries away from obedience 
to the first commandment. 

But if a man shall speak or write solely from sincere 
desire to do that which may be useful, I believe he will 
not only do his best but he will be aided through ideas 
that come from the infinite source of all good. His 
earnest and unselfish desire for betterment to all is a 
constant prayer. And more and more, as he proceeds, 
will he depend upon and be aided by this steadfast 
desire. 

Just what influence has impelled me to work in this 
field, I cannot describe; but I am conscious of support 



PREFACE 11 

from an honest endeavor to labor for the right. The 
work has been done mostly in the early hours of the 
morning, and has been a pleasant experience. 

Criticism, always looking for defects, will, of course, 
find them. But hoping and trusting in the Divine 
Power, I also hope and trust that those readers who are 
looking for the good and true, will not be entirely dis- 
appointed. Let us all try to get on the right side of 
things. 

The Author. 



The book divides itself into four parts : 

First, the story of human troubles. 

Second, the story of human reasoning. 

Third, the dawning of Spiritual light. 

Fourth, the unfolding of Spiritual under- 
standing with its Divine, unerring and 
unmistakable proof of the vast superi- 
ority of that which is Spiritual, over 
that which is obtained through or by 
human reason. 

This is the grand lesson of regenerated 
Job to mankind ! 



T 



THE BOOK OF JOB 

CHAPTER 1. 

HERE was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was 
Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one 
that feared God, and eschewed evil. 

2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three 
daughters. 

3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and 
three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and 
five hundred she asses, and a very great household ; so that 
this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 

4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every 
one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to 
eat and to drink with them. 

5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were 
gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up 
early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according 
to the number of them all : for Job said, It may be that my 
sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did 
Job continually. 

6 ^ Now there was a day when the sons of God came 
to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also 
among them. 

7 And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou ? 
Then Satan answered the Lord, and said. From going to and 
fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 

8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered 

my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a 

perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and 

escheweth evil? 

13 



14 THE BOOK OF JOB 

9 Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job 
fear God for nought ? 

10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about 
his house, and about all that he hath on every side! thou 
hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is in- 
creased in the land. 

11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that 
he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 

12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he 
hath is in thy power ; only upon himself put not forth thine 
hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. 

13 ^ And there was a day when his sons and his 
daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest 
brother's house: 

14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, 
The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them : 

15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them 
'dwsLj; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of 
the sword ; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 

16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, 
and said. The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath 
burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them ; 
and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 

17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, 
and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell 
upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and 
slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only 
am escaped alone to tell thee. 

18 While he ivas yet speaking, there came also another, 
and said. Thy sons and thy daughters tuere eating and drink- 
ing wine in their eldest brother 's house : 

19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the 
wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it 



THE BOOK OF JOB 15 

fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only 
am escaped alone to tell thee. 

20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved 
his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 

21 And said. Naked came I out of my mother's womb, 
and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the 
Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the Lord. 

22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. 

CHAPTER 2. 

AGAIN there was a day when the sons of God came to 
present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came 
also among them to present himself before the Lord. 

2 And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest 
thou ? And Satan answered the Lord, and said. From going 
to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down 
in it. 

3 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered 
my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a 
perfect and an unright man, one that feareth God, and 
escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, al- 
though thou movedst me against him, to destroy him with- 
out cause. 

4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for 
skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. 

5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone 
and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. 

6 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine 
hand ; but save his life. 

7 ^ So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, 
and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto 
his crown. 

8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal ; 
and he sat down among the ashes. 



16 THE BOOK OF JOB 

9 If Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain 
thine integrity? curse God, and die. 

10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the 
foolish women speaketh. What ? shall we receive good at the 
hand of God, and shall we not receive evil ? In all this did 
not Job sin with his lips. 

11 If Now when Job 's three friends heard of all this evil 
that was come upon him, they came every one from his own 
place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and 
Zophar the Naamathite : for they had made an appointment 
together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. 

12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and 
knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and 
they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon 
their heads toward heaven. 

13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven 
days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: 
for they saw that his grief was very great. 

CHAPTER 3. 

AFTER this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. 
2 And Job spake, and said, 

3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night 
in which it was said. There is a man child conceived. 

4 Let that day be darkness ; let not God regard it from 
above, neither let the light shine upon it. 

5 Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let 
a cloud dwell upon it ; let the blackness of the day terrify it. 

6 As for that night, let darkness seize upon it ; let it not 
be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the 
number of the months. 

7 Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come 
therein. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 17 

8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready- 
to raise up their mourning. 

9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it 
look for light, but have none ; neither let it see the dawning 
of the day : 

10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother ^s 
womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes. 

11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not 
give up the ghost when I came out of the belly ? 

12 Why did the knees prevent me ? or why the breasts 
that I should suck? 

13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I 
should have slept : then had I been at rest, 

14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built 
desolate places for themselves ; 

15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled their 
houses with silver: 

16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; 
as infaiifcs which never saw light. 

17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there 
the weary be at rest. 

18 There the prisoners rest together; they hear not 
the voice of the oppressor. 

19 The small and great are there; and the servant is 
free from his master. 

20 Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, 
and life unto the bitter in soul; 

21 Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig 
for it more than for hid treasures; 

22 Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they 
can find the grave ? 

23 Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and 
whom God hath hedged in? 



18 THE BOOK OF JOB 

24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roar- 
ings are poured out like the waters. 

25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon 
me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. 

26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was 
I quiet; yet trouble came. 

CHAPTER 4. 

THEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 
2 If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be 
grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking. 

3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast 
strengthened the weak hands. 

4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and 
thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. 

5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest ; it 
toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. 

6 Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and 
the uprightness of thy ways? 

7 Remember, I pray thee who ever perished, being 
innocent ? or where were the righteous cut off ? 

8 Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and 
sow wickedness, reap the same. 

9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath 
of his nostrils are they consumed. 

10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce 
lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. 

11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the 
stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad. 

12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine 
ear received a little thereof. 

13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep 
sleep falleth on men. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 19 

14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made 
all my bones to shake. 

15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of 
my flesh stood up: 

16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form 
thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, 
and I heard a voice, saying, 

17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a 
man be more pure than his maker? 

18 Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his 
angels he charged with folly: 

19 How much less in them that dwell in houses of 
clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed 
before the moth? 

20 They are destroyed from morning to evening : they 
perish for ever without any regarding it. 

21 Doth not their excellency which is in them go 
away? they die, even without wisdom. 

CHAPTER 5. 

CALL now, if there be any that will answer thee; and 
to which of the saints wilt thou turn ? 

2 For wrath MUeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth 
the silly one. 

3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly 
I cursed his habitation. 

4 His children are far from safety, and they are 
crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them. 

5 Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it 
even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their 
substance. 

6 Although affiction cometh not forth of the dust, 
neither doth trouble spring out of the ground: 



20 THE BOOK OF JOB 

7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly up- 
ward. 

8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I com- 
mit my cause: 

9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; mar- 
vellous things without number: 

10 Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth 
waters upon the fields : 

11 To set up on high those that be low; that those 
which mourn may be exalted to safety. 

12 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that 
their hands cannot perform their enterprise. 

13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and 
the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. 

14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope 
in the noonday as in the night. 

15 But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their 
mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. 

16 So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her 
mouth. 

17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: 
therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty : 

18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up : he woundeth, 
and his hands make whole. 

19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven 
there shall no evil touch thee. 

20 In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and 
in war from the power of the sword. 

21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue : 
neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. 

22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: 
neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 

23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the 
field : and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 21 

24 And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall he 
in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt 
not sin. 

25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall he great, 
and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. 

26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as 
a shock of corn cometh in in his season. 

27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and 
know thou it for thy good. 

CHAPTER 6. 

BUT Job answered and said, 
2 Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and 
my calamity laid in the balances together ! 

3 For now it would be heavier than the sand of the 
sea : therefore my words are swallowed up. 

4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the 
poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God 
do set themselves in array against me. 

5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or 
loweth the ox over his fodder? 

6 Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? 
or is there any taste in the white of an eggi 

7 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my 
sorrowful meat. 

8 Oh that I might have my request; and that God 
would grant me the thing that I long for! 

9 Even that it would please God to destroy me; that 
he would let loose his hand, and cut me off ! 

10 Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would 
harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have 
not concealed the words of the Holy One. 

11 What is my strength, that I should hope ? and what 
is mine end, that I should prolong my life? 



22 THE BOOK OF JOB 

12 75 my strength the strength of stones? or is my 
flesh of brass? 

13 Is not my help in me ? and is wisdom driven quite 
from me? 

14 To him that is afflicted pity should he shewed from 
his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. 

15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, 
and as the stream of brooks they pass away; 

16 Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and 
wherein the snow is hid : 

17 What time they wax warm, they vanish : when it is 
hot, they are consumed out of their place. 

18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go 
to nothing, and perish. 

19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba 
waited for them. 

20 They were confounded because they had hoped; 
they came thither, and were ashamed. 

21 For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, 
and are afraid. 

22 Did I say. Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for 
me of your substance? 

23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or. Re- 
deem me from the hand of the mighty? 

24 Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause 
me to understand wherein I have erred. 

25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your 
arguing reprove? 

26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches 
of one that is desperate, which are as wind? 

27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit 
for your friend. 

28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is 
evident unto you if I lie. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 23 

29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, re- 
turn again, my righteousness is in it : 

30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste 
discern perverse things? 

CHAPTER 7. 

18 there not an appointed time to man upon earth ? are not 
his days also like the days of an hireling? 

2 As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as 
an hireling looketh for the reivard of his work : 

3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and 
wearisome nights are appointed to me. 

4 When I lie down, I say. When shall I arise, and the 
night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto 
the dawning of the day. 

5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; 
my skin is broken, and become loathsome. 

6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and 
are spent without hope. 

7 remember that my life is wind : mine eye shall no 
more see good. 

8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no 
more : thine eyes are upon me, and I am not. 

9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so 
he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. 

10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall 
his place know him any more. 

11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will 
speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the 
bitterness of my soul. 

12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch 
over me? 

13 When I say. My bed shall comfort me, my couch 
shall ease my complaint; 



24 THE BOOK OF JOB 

14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest 
me through visions : 

15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death 
rather than my life. 

16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; 
for my days are vanity. 

17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? 
and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? 

18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, 
and try him every moment? 

19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let 
me alone till I swallow down my spittle? 

20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, thou 
preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against 
thee, so that I am a burden to myself? 

21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, 
and take away mine iniquity ? for now shall I sleep in the 
dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall 
not he. 

CHAPTER 8. 

THEN answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 
2 How long wilt thou speak these things? and how 
long shall the words of thy mouth he like a strong wind? 

3 Doth God prevert judgment? or doth the Almighty 
pervert justice? 

4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have 
cast them away for their transgression; 

5 If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make 
thy supplication to the Almighty; 

6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he 
would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy 
righteousness prosperous. 

7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end 
should greatly increase. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 25 

8 For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and 
prepare thyself to the search of their fathers: 

9 (For we are hut of yesterday, and know nothing, 
because our days upon earth are a shadow:) 

10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter 
words out of their heart? 

11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag 
grow without water? 

12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, 
it withereth before any other herb. 

13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the 
hypocrite's hope shall perish: 

14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall 
he a spider's web. 

15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand : 
he shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure. 

16 He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth 
forth in his garden. 

17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth 
the place of stones. 

18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall 
deny him, saying, I have not seen thee. 

19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the 
earth shall others grow. 

20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, 
neither will he help the evil doers : 

21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips 
with rejoicing. 

22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; 
and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought > 

CHAPTER 9. 

THEN Job answered and said, 
I know it is so of a truth : but how should man be just 
with God? 



26 THE BOOK OF JOB 

3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him 
one of a thousand. 

4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who 
hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? 

5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not : 
which overturneth them in his anger. 

6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the 
pillars thereof tremble. 

7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and 
sealeth up the stars. 

8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and tread- 
eth upon the waves of the sea. 

9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and 
the chambers of the south. 

10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, 
and wonders without number. 

11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not : he passeth 
on also, but I perceive him not. 

12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who 
will say unto him, What doest thou? 

13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud 
helpers do stoop under him. 

14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out 
my words to reason with him? 

15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not 
answer, l)ut I would make supplication to my judge. 

16 If I had called, and he had answered me ; yet would 
I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. 

17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth 
my wounds without cause. 

18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but fiUeth 
me with bitterness. 

19 If / speak of strength, lo, he is strong : and if of 
judgment, who shall set me a time to plead? 



THE BOOK OF JOB 27 

20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall con- 
demn me : if I say, I mn perfect, it shall also also prove me 
perverse. 

21 Though I ivere perfect, yet would I not know my 
soul: I would despise my life. 

22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth 
the perfect and the wicked. 

23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the 
trial of the innocent. 

24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: 
he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, 
and who is he? 

25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee 
away, they see no good. 

26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the 
eagle that hasteth to the prey. 

27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I wiU leave 
off my heaviness, and comfort myself : 

28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou 
wilt not hold me innocent. 

29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain? 

30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my 
hands never so clean; 

31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine 
own clothes, shall abhor me. 

32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer 
him, and we should come together in judgment. 

33 Neither is there any days man betwixt us, that 
might lay his hand upon us both. 

34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not 
his fear terrify me: 

35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is 
not so with me. 



28 THE BOOK OF JOB 

CHAPTER 10. 
Y soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint 



M 



upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my 
soul. 

2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me 
wherefore thou contendest with me. 

3 75 it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that 
thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine 
upon the counsel of the wicked? 

4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man 
seeth ? 

5 Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as 
man's days. 

6 That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and seareh- 
est after my sin? 

7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is 
none that can deliver out of thine hand. 

8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me to- 
gether round about; yet thou dost destroy me. 

9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me 
as the clay ; and wilt thou bring me into dust again ? 

10 Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled 
me like cheese? 

11 Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and 
hast fenced me with bones and sinews. 

12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy 
visitation hath preserved my spirit. 

13 And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I 
know that this is with thee. 

14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not 
acquit me from mine iniquity. 

15 If I be wicked, woe unto me ; and if I be righteous, 
yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; 
therefore see thou mine affliction; 



THE BOOK OF JOB 29 

16 For it increase th. Thou huntest me as a fierce 
lion : and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me. 

17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and in- 
creasest thine indignation upon me; changes and war are 
against me. 

18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out 
of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no 
eye had seen me ! 

19 I should have been as though I had not been; I 
should have been carried from the womb to the grave. 

20 Are not my days few ? cease then, and let me alone, 
that I may take comfort a little, 

21 Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the 
land of darkness and the shadow of death ; 

22 A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the 
shadow of death, without any order, and where the light 
is as darkness. 

CHAPTER 11. 

THEN answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 
2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? 
and should a man full of talk be justified? 

3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and 
when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? 

4 For thou hast said. My doctrine is pure, and I am 
clean in thine eyes. 

5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips 
against thee; 

6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, 
that they are double to that which is! Know therefore 
that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. 

7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou 
find out the Almighty unto perfection? 

8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper 
than hell; what canst thou know? 



30 THE BOOK OF JOB 

9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and 
broader than the sea. 

10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then 
who can hinder him? 

11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness 
also; will he not then consider it? 

12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born 
like a wild ass's colt. 

13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine 
hands toward him; 

14 If iniquity he in thine hand, put it far away, and 
let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. 

15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; 
yea, thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear : 

16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remem- 
ber it as waters that pass away: 

17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; 
thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. 

18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; 
yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest 
in safety. 

19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee 
afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. 

20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they 
shall not escape, and their hope shall he as the giving up 
of the ghost. 

CHAPTER 12. 

AND Job answered and said, 
2 No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall 
die with you. 

3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not 
inferior to you : yea, who knoweth not such things as these ? 

4 I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth 



THE BOOK OF JOB 31 

upon God and he answereth him: the just upright man is 
laughed to scorn. 

5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp 
despised in the thought of him that is at ease. 

6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that 
provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth 
abundantly. 

7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; 
and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee : 

8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and 
the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee. 

9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the 
Lord hath wrought this? 

10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, 
and the breath of all mankind. 

11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste 
his meat ? 

12 "With the ancient is wisdom ; and in length of days 
understanding. 

13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel 
and understanding. 

14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built 
again : he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. 

15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry 
up : also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. 

16 With him is strength and wisdom : the deceived and 
the deceiver are his. 

17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh 
the judges fools. 

18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their 
loins with a girdle. 

19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth 
the mighty. 



32 THE BOOK OF JOB 

20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and 
taketh away the understanding of the aged. 

21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth 
the strength of the mighty. 

22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and 
bringeth out to light the shadow of death. 

23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: 
he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again. 

24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people 
of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness 
where there is no way. 

25 They grope in the dark without light, and he mak- 
eth them to stagger like a drunken man. 

CHAPTER 13. 

LO, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and 
understood it. 

2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not 
inferior unto you. 

3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire 
to reason with God. 

4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no 
value. 

5 that ye would altogether hold your peace ! and it 
should be your wisdom. 

6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the plead- 
ings of my lips. 

7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceit- 
fully for him ? 

8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God? 

9 Is it good that he should search you out? or as one 
man mocketh another, do ye so mock him ? 

10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept 
persons. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 33 

11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his 
dread fall upon you ? 

12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies 
to bodies of clay. 

13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, 
and let come on me what will. 

14 "Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put 
my life in mine hand ? 

15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him : but I 
will maintain mine own ways before him. 

16 He also shall he my salvation: for an hypocrite 
shall not come before him. 

17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with 
your ears. 

18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause ; I know that 
1 shall be justified. 

19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I 
hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost. 

20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not 
hide myself from thee. 

21 Withdraw thine hand far from me : and let not thy 
dread make me afraid. 

22 Then call thou, and I will answer : or let me speak, 
and answer thou me. 

23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me 
to know my transgression and my sin. 

24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and boldest me for 
thine enemy? 

25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro ? and wilt 
thou pursue the dry stubble? 

26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and 
makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth. 

27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest 



34 THE BOOK OF JOB 

narrowly unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the 
heels of my feet. 

28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment 
that is moth eaten. 

CHAPTER 14. 

MAN that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of 
trouble. 

2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he 
fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. 

3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and 
bringest me into judgment with thee ? 

4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not 
one. 

5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his 
months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that 
he cannot pass; 

6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall ac- 
complish, as an hireling, his day. 

7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it 
will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will 
not cease. 

8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and 
the stock thereof die in the ground ; 

9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring 
forth boughs like a plant. 

10 But man dieth, and wasteth away : yea, man giveth 
up the ghost, and where is he ? 

11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood de- 
cayeth and drieth up : 

12 So man lieth down, and riseth not : till the heavens 
he no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their 
sleep. 

13 that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that 



THE BOOK OF JOB 35 

thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that 
thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me ! 

14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my 
appointed time will I wait, till my change come. 

15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt 
have a desire to the work of thine hands. 

16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not 
watch over my sin ? 

17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou 
sewest up mine iniquity. 

18 And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, 
and the rock is removed out of his place. 

19 The waters wear the stones : thou washest away the 
things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thoii 
destroyest the hope of man. 

20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he pass- 
eth : thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. 

21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; 
and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them. 

22 But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul 
within him shall mourn. 

CHAPTER 15. 

THEN answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, 
2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill 
his belly with the east wind? 

3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with 
speeches wherewith he can do no good? 

4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer be- 
fore God. 

5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou 
choosest the tongue of the crafty. 

6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, 
thine own lips testify against thee. 



36 THE BOOK OF JOB 

7 Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou 
made before the hills? 

8 Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou 
restrain wisdom to thyself ? 

9 What knowest thou, that we know not? what under- 
standest thou, which is not in us? 

10 With us are both the grayheaded and very aged 
men, much elder than thy father. 

11 Are the consolations of God smaU with thee? is 
there any secret thing with thee? 

12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what 
do thy eyes wink at, 

13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and let- 
test such words go out of thy mouth? 

14 What is man, that he should be clean ? and he which 
is born of a woman, that he should be righteous ? 

15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the 
heavens are not clean in his sight. 

16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, 
which drinketh iniquity like water ? 

17 I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have 
seen I will declare ; 

18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and 
have not hid it : 

19 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stran- 
ger passed among them. 

20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, 
and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor. 

21 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the 
destroyer shall come upon him. 

22 He believeth not that he shall return out of dark- 
ness, and he is waited for the sword. 

23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying , Where is itf 
he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 37 

24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they 
shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle. 

25 For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and 
strengtheneth himself against the Almighty. 

26 He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the 
thick bosses of his bucklers : 

27 Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and 
maketh collops of fat on his flanks. 

28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses 
which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps. 

29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance 
continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof 
upon the earth. 

30 He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall 
dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall 
he go away. 

31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for 
vanity shall be his recompence. 

32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his 
branch shall not be green. 

33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and 
shall cast off his flower as the olive. 

34 For the congregation of hypocrites shall he desolate, 
and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery. 

35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and 
their belly prepareth deceit. 

CHAPTER 16. 

THEN Job answered and said, 
2 I have heard many such things : miserable comfort- 
ers are ye all. ' 

3 Shall vain words have an end ? or what emboldeneth 
thee that thou answerest? 

4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my 



38 THE BOOK OF JOB 

soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake 
mine head at you. 

5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the 
moving of my lips should asswage your grief. 

6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and 
though I forbear, what am I eased ? 

7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made 
desolate all my company. 

8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a 
witness against me : and my leanness rising up in me bear- 
eth witness to my face. 

9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me : he gnash- 
eth upon me with his teeth ; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes 
upon me. 

10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they 
have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have 
gathered themselves together against me. 

11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned 
me over into the hands of the wicked. 

12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he 
hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, 
and set me up for his mark. 

13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth 
my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my 
gall upon the ground. 

14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he run- 
neth upon me like a giant. 

15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled 
my horn in the dust. 

16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is 
the shadow of death; 

17 Not for any injustice in mine hands : also my prayer 
is pure. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 39 

18 earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry 
have no place. 

19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my 
record is on high. 

20 My friends scorn me: hut mine eye poureth out 
tears unto God. 

21 that one might plead for a man with God, as a 
man pleadeth for his neighbour ! 

22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the way 
whence I shall not return. 

CHAPTER 17. 

MY breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves 
are ready for me. 

2 Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine 
eye continue in their provocation? 

3 Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee ; who is 
he that will strike hands with me ? 

4 For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: 
therefore shalt thou not exalt them. 

5 He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the 
eyes of his children shall fail. 

6 He hath made me also a byword of the people; and 
aforetime I was as a tabret. 

7 Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my 
members are as a shadow. 

8 Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the inno- 
cent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite. 

9 The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that 
hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. 

10 But as for you all do ye return and come now : for 
I cannot find one wise man among you. 

11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even 
the thoughts of my heart. 



40 THE BOOK OF JOB 

12 They change the night into day : the light is short 
because of darkness. 

13 If I wait, the grave is mine house : I have made my 
bed in the darkness. 

14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to 
the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister. 

15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who 
shall see it? 

16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our 
rest together is in the dust. 

CHAPTER 18. 

THEN answered Bidad the Shuhite, and said, 
2 How long will it he ere ye make an end of words? 
mark, and afterwards we will speak. 

3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed 
vile in your sight ? 

4 He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be 
forsaken for thee ? and shall the rock be removed out of his 
place ? 

5 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the 
spark of his fire shall not shine. 

6 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his 
candle shall be put out with him. 

7 The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his 
own counsel shall cast him down. 

8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he 
walketh upon a snare. 

9 The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber 
shall prevail against him. 

10 The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap 
for him in the way. 

11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and 
shall drive him to his feet. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 41 

12 His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction 
shall he ready at his side. 

13 It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the 
firstborn of death shall devour his strength. 

14 His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, 
and it shall bring him to the king of terrors. 

15 It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none 
of his : brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation. 

16 His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall 
his branch be cut off. 

17 His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and 
he shall have no name in the street. 

18 He shall be driven from light into darkness, and 
chased out of the world. 

19 He shall neither have son nor nephew among his 
people, nor any remaining in his dwellings. 

20 They that come after him shall be astonied at his 
day, as they that went before were affrighted. 

21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and 
this is the place of him that knoweth not God. 

CHAPTER 19. 

THEN Job answered and said, 
2 How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in 
pieces wdth words? 

3 These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not 
ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me. 

4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error re- 
maineth with myself. 

5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, 
and plead against me my reproach : 

6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath 
compassed me with his net. 



42 THE BOOK OF JOB 

7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I 
cry aloud, but there is no judgment. 

8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and 
he hath set darkness in my paths. 

9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the 
crown from my head. 

10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone : 
and mine hope hath he removed like a tree. 

11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he 
counteth me unto him as one of his enemies. 

12 His troops come together, and raise up their way 
against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle. 

13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine 
acquaintance are verily estranged from me. 

14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends 
have forgotten me. 

15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, 
count me for a stranger : I am an alien in their sight. 

16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I 
intreated him with my mouth. 

17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated 
for the children's sake of mine own body. 

18 Yea, young children despised me ; I arose, and they 
spake against me. 

19 All my inward friends abhorred me : and they whom 
I loved are turned against me. 

20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and 
I am escaped with the skin of my teeth. 

21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, ye my 
friends ; for the hand of God hath touched me. 

22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satis- 
fied with my flesh ? 

23 Oh that my words were now written ! oh that they 
were printed in a book ! 



THE BOOK OF JOB 43 

24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead 
in the rock for ever ! 

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he 
shall stand at the latter day upon the earth : 

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, 
yet in my flesh shall I see God : 

27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall 
behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed 
within me. 

28 But ye should say. Why persecute we him, seeing 
the root of the matter is found in me ? 

29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath hringeth the 
punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a 
judgment. 

CHAPTER 20. 

THEN answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 
2 Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer, and 
for this I make haste. 

3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the 
spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer. 

4 Know^est thou not this of old, since man was placed 
upon earth, 

5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the 
joy of the hypocrite hut for a moment ? 

6 Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and 
his head reach unto the clouds ; 

7 Yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung : they 
which have seen him shall say. Where is he ? 

8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be found : 
yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night. 

9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; 
neither shall his place any more behold him. 

10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his 
hands shall restore their goods. 



44 THE BOOK OF JOB 

11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which 
shall lie down with him in the dust. 

12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though 
he hide it under his tongue; 

13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not ; but keep it 
still within his mouth : 

14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is the gall of 
asps within him. 

15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit 
them up again : God shall cast them out of his belly. 

16 He shall suck the poison of asps : the viper's tongue 
shaU slay him. 

17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks 
of honey and butter. 

18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and 
shall not swallow it down : according to his substance shall 
the restitution he, and he shall not rejoice therein. 

19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the 
poor; because he hath violently taken away an house which 
he builded not ; 

20 Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he 
shall not save of that which he desired. 

21 There shall none of his meat be left ; therefore shall 
no man look for his goods. 

22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits : 
every hand of the wicked shall come upon him. 

23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the 
fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him 
while he is eating. 

24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of 
steel shall strike him through. 

25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the 
glittering sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon 
him. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 45 

26 All darkness shall he hid in his secret places : a fire 
not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that 
is left in his tabernacle. 

27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity ; and the earth 
shall rise up against him. 

28 The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods 
shall flow away in the day of his wrath. 

29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and 
the heritage appointed unto him by God. 

CHAPTER 21. 

BUT Job answered and said, 
2 Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your con- 
solations. 

3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have 
spoken, mock on. 

4 As for me, is my complaint to man ? and if it were so, 
why should not my spirit be troubled? 

5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon 
your mouth. 

6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling 
taketh hold on my flesh. 

7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are 
mighty in power ? 

8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, 
and their offspring before their eyes. 

9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod 
of God upon them. 

10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow 
calveth, and casteth not her calf. 

11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and 
their children dance. 

12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the 
sound of the organ. 



46 THE BOOK OF JOB 

13 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment 
go down to the grave. 

14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for 
we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. 

15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? 
and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? 

16 Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of 
the wicked is far from me. 

17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and 
how oft Cometh their destruction upon them! God distrib- 
uteth sorrows in his anger. 

18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff 
that the storm carrieth away. 

19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children : he re- 
wardeth him, and he shall know it, 

20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink 
of the wrath of the Almighty. 

21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, 
when the number of his months is cut off in the midst ? 

22 Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth 
those that are high. 

23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease 
and quiet. 

24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are 
moistened with marrow. 

25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, 
and never eateth with pleasure. 

26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms 
shall cover them. 

27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices 
which ye wrongfully imagine against me. 

28 For ye say. Where is the house of the prince? and 
where are the dwelling places of the wicked? 



THE BOOK OF JOB 47 

29 Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and 
do ye not know their tokens, 

30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruc- 
tion? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. 

31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who 
shall repay him what he hath done ? 

32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall re- 
main in the tomb. 

33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and 
every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable 
before him. 

34 How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in an- 
swers there remaineth falsehood? 



CHAPTER 22. 

THEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 
2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is 
wise may be profitable unto himself? 

3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art 
righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways 
perfect ? 

4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter 
with thee into judgment ? 

5 7s not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities 
infinite ? 

6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for 
nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing. 

7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, 
and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry. 

8 But as for the mighty man, he hath the earth; and 
the honourable man dwelt in it. 

9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms 
of the fatherless have been broken. 



48 ' THE BOOK OF JOB 

10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden 
fear troubleth thee; 

11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abun- 
dance of waters cover thee. 

12 Is not God in the height of heaven ? and behold the 
height of the stars, how high they are ! 

13 And thou sayest. How doth God know 1 can he judge 
through the dark cloud? 

14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth 
not ; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven. 

15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men 
have trodden? 

16 Which were cut down out of time, whose founda- 
tion was overflown with a flood: 

17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what 
can the Almighty do for them? 

18 Yet he fllled their houses with good things : but the 
counsel of the wicked is far from me. 

19 The righteous see it, and are glad : and the innocent 
laugh them to scorn. 

20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the 
remnant of them the fire consumeth. 

21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: 
thereby good shall come unto thee. 

22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and 
lay up his words in thine heart. 

23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built 
up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. 

24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold 
of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. 

25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou 
shalt have plenty of silver. 

26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Al- 
mighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 49 

27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto hiin, and he shall 
hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. 

28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be es- 
tablished unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy 
ways. 

29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, 
There is lifting up ; and he shall save the humble person. 

30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent : and it 
is delivered by the pureness of thine hands. 

CHAPTER 23. 

THEN Job answered and said, 
2 Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke 
is heavier than my groaning. 

3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I 
might come even to his seat ! 

4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my 
mouth with arguments. 

5 I would know the words which he would answer me, 
and understand what he would say unto me. 

6 "Will he plead against me with his great power f No ; 
but he would put strength in me. 

7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so 
should I be delivered for ever from my judge. 

8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and back- 
ward, but I cannot perceive him: 

9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I can- 
not behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that 
I cannot see him : 

10 But he knoweth the way that I take : when he hath 
tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 

11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, 
and not declined. 

12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment 



50 THE BOOK OF JOB 

of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more 
than my necessary food. 

13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him ? and 
what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. 

14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for 
me : and many such things are with him. 

15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I 
consider, I am afraid of him. 

16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty 
troubleth me: 

17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, 
neither hath he covered the darkness from my face. 

CHAPTER 24. 

WHY, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, 
do they that know him not see his days? 

2 Some remove the landmarks; they violently take 
away flocks, and feed thereof. 

3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take 
the widow 's ox for a pledge. 

4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of 
the earth hide themselves together. 

5 Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to 
their work ; rising betimes for a prey : the wilderness yield- 
eth food for them and for their children. 

6 They reap every one his corn in the field: and they 
gather the vintage of the wicked. 

7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, 
that they have no covering in the cold. 

8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, 
and embrace the rock for want of a shelter. 

9 They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and 
take a pledge of the poor. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 51 

10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and 
they take away the sheaf from the hungry; 

11 Which make oil within their walls, and tread their 
wine-presses, and suffer thirst. 

12 Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of 
the wounded crieth out : yet God layeth not folly to them. 

13 They are of those that rebel against the light ; they 
know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof. 

14 The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor 
and needy, and in the night is as a thief. 

15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twi- 
light, saying, No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face. 

16 In the dark they dig through houses, which they had 
marked for themselves in the daytime: they know not the 
light. 

17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of 
death : if one know them, they are in the terrors of the 
shadow of death. 

18 He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed 
in the earth : he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards. 

19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so 
doth the grave those which have sinned. 

20 The womb shall forget him; the worms shall feed 
sweetly on him ; he shall be no more remembered ; and wick- 
edness shall be broken as a tree. 

21 He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not : and 
doeth not good to the widow. 

22 He draweth also the mighty with his power: he 
riseth up, and no man is sure of life. 

23 Though it be given him to he in safety, whereon he 
resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways. 

24 They are exalted for a little while, but are gone 
and brought low ; they are taken out of the way as all other, 
and cut off as the tops of the ears of corn. 



52 THE BOOK OF JOB 

25 And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, 
and make my speech nothing worth? 

CHAPTER 25. 

THEN answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 
2 Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace 
in his high places. 

3 Is there any number of his armies ? and upon whom 
doth not his light arise ? 

4 How then can man be justified with God? or how 
can he be clean that is born of a woman? 

5 Behold even to the moon, and it shineth not ; yea, the 
stars are not pure in his sight. 

6 How much less man, that is a worm ? and the son of 
man, which is a worm ? 

CHAPTER 26. 

BUT Job answered and said, 
2 How hast thou helped him that is without power? 
how savest thou the arm that hath no strength ? 

3 How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom ? 
and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is ? 

4 To whom hast thou uttered words ? and whose spirit 
came from thee? 

5 Dead things are formed from under the waters, and 
the inhabitants thereof. 

6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no 
covering. 

7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and 
hangeth the earth upon nothing. 

8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds ; and the 
cloud is not rent under them. 

9 He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth 
his cloud upon it. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 53 

10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until 
the day and night come to an end. 

11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished 
at his reproof. 

12 He divideth the sea with his power, and by his un- 
derstanding he smiteth through the proud. 

13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his 
hand hath formed the crooked serpent. 

14 Lo, these are parts of his ways : but how little a por- 
tion is heard of him ? but the thunder of his power who can 
understand ? 

CHAPTER 27. 

MOEEOYER Job continued his parable, and said, 
2 As God liveth, who hath taken away my judg- 
ment ; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul ; 

3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of 
God is in my nostrils; 

4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue 
utter deceit. 

5 God forbid that I should justify you : till I die I will 
not remove mine integrity from me. 

6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: 
my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live. 

7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth 
up against me as the unrighteous. 

8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he 
hath gained when God taketh away his soul? 

9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon 
him? 

10 Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he 
always call upon God? 

11 I will teach you by the hand of God : that which is 
with the Almighty will I not conceal. 



54 THE BOOK OF JOB 

12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then 
are ye thus altogether vain? 

13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and 
the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the 
Almighty. 

14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: 
and his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread. 

15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death : 
and his widows shall not weep. 

16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare 
raiment as the clay; 

17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and 
the innocent shall divide the silver. 

18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that 
the keeper maketh. 

19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be 
gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not. 

20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest steal- 
eth him away in the night. 

21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth : 
and as a storm hurleth him out of his place. 

22 For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he 
would fain flee out of his hand. 

23 Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss 
him out of his place. 

CHAPTER 28. 

SURELY there is a vein for the silver, and a place for 
gold where they fine it. 

2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten 
out of the stone. 

3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all 
perfection : the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death. 

4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant ; even the 



THE BOOK OF JOB 55 

waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are 
gone away from men. 

5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread : and under 
it is turned up as it were fire. 

6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it 
hath dust of gold. 

7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which 
the vulture 's eye hath not seen : 

8 The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce 
lion passed by it. 

9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he over- 
turneth the mountains by the roots. 

10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his 
eye seeth every precious thing. 

11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the 
thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light. 

12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is 
the place of understanding? 

13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it 
found in the land of the living. 

14 The depth saith. It is not in me : and the sea saith, 
It is not with me. 

15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver 
be weighed for the price thereof. 

16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with 
the precious onyx, or the sapphire. 

17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the 
exchange of it shall not he for jewels of fine gold. 

18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: 
for the price of wisdom is above rubies. 

19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither 
shall it be valued with pure gold. 

20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the 
place of understanding? 



56 THE BOOK OF JOB 

21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and 
kept close from the fowls of the air. 

22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the 
fame thereof with our ears. 

23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he know- 
eth the place thereof. 

24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth 
under the whole heaven ; 

25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigh- 
eth the waters by measure. 

26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way 
for the lightning of the thunder: 

27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared it, 
yea, and searched it out. 

28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the 
Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is under- 
standing. 

CHAPTER 29. 

MOREOVER Job continued his parable, and said, 
2 Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days 
when God preserved me; 

3 When his candle shined upon my head, and when 
by his light I walked through darkness; 

4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret 
of God was upon my tabernacle; 

5 When the Almighty was yet with me, when my 
children were about me; 

6 When I washed my steps with butter, and the rock 
poured me out rivers of oil ; 

7 When I went out to the gate through the city, when 
I prepared my seat in the street ! 

8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and 
the aged arose, and stood up. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 57 

9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand 
on their mouth. 

10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue 
cleaved to the roof of their mouth. 

11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and 
when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me : 

12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the 
fatherless, and him that had none to help him. 

13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came 
upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 

14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my 
judgment was as a robe and a diadem. 

15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. 

16 I tuas a father to the poor: and the cause which I 
knew not I searched out. 

17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked 
the spoil out of his teeth. 

18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall 
multiply my days as the sand. 

19 My root ivas spread out by the waters, and the dew 
lay all night upon my branch. 

20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was re- 
newed in my hand. 

21 Unto me me7i gave ear, and waited, and kept sil- 
ence at my counsel. 

22 After my words they spake not again; and my 
speech dropped upon them. 

23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they 
opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain. 

24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and 
the light of my countenance they cast not down. 

25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as 
a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners. 



58 THE BOOK OF JOB 

CHAPTER 30. 

BUT now they that are younger than I have me in de- 
rision, whose fathers I would have disdained to have 
set with the dogs of my flock. 

2 Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands 
profit me, in whom old age was perished? 

3 For want and famine they were solitary; fleeing 
into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste. 

4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper 
roots for their meat. 

5 They were driven forth from among men, (they 
cried after them as after a thief;) 

6 To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys, in caves of the 
earth, and in the rocks. 

7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles 
they were gathered together. 

8 They were children of fools, yea, children of base 
men: they were viler than the earth. 

9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword. 

10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare 
not to spit in my face. 

11 Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, 
they have also let loose the bridle before me. 

12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push 
away my feet, and they raise up against me the ways of 
their destruction. 

13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, 
they have no helper. 

14 They came upo7i me as a wide breaking in of 
waters: in the desolation they rolled themselves upon me. 

15 Terrors are turned upon me : they pursue my soul 
as the wind: and my welfare passeth away as a cloud. 

16 And now my soul is poured out upon me ; the days 
of affliction have taken hold upon me. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 59 

17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: 
and my sinews take no rest. 

18 By the great force of my disease is my garment 
changed : it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat. 

19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become 
like dust and ashes. 

20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me : I stand 
up, and thou regardest me not. 

21 Thou art become cruel to me : with thy strong hand 
thou opposest thyself against me. 

22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me 
to ride upon it, and dissolvest my substance. 

23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and 
to the house appointed for all living. 

24 Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the 
grave, though they cry in his destruction. 

25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was 
not my soul grieved for the poor? 

26 When I looked for good, then evil came unto me : 
and when I waited for light, there came darkness. 

27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of af- 
fliction prevented me. 

28 I went mourning without the sun : I stood up, and 
I cried in the congregation. 

29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to 
owls. 

30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned 
with heat. 

31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ 
into the voice of them that weep. 

CHAPTER 31. 

1MADE a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I 
think upon a maid ? 



60 THE BOOK OF JOB 

2 For what portion of God is there from above? and 
what inheritance of the Almighty from on high? 

3 Is not destruction to the wicked ? and a strange 
punishment to the workers of iniquity? 

4 Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? 

5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot hath 
hasted to deceit; 

6 Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God 
may know mine integrity. 

7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine 
heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved 
to mine hands ; 

8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my 
offspring be rooted out. 

9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if 
I have laid wait at my neighbor 's door ; 

10 Then let my wife grind unto another, and let 
others bow down upon her. 

11 For this is heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to 
he punished hy the judges. 

12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and 
would root out all mine increase. 

13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or 
of my maidservant, when they contended with rne; 

14 What then shall I do when God riseth up? and 
when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? 

15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? 
and did not one fashion us in the womb? 

16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or 
have caused the eyes of the widow to fail ; 

17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the 
fatherless hath not eaten thereof; 

18 (From my youth he was brought up with me. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 61 

as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's 
womb:) 

19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or 
any poor without covering ; 

20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not 
warmed with the fleece of my sheep; 

21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, 
when I saw my help in the gate : 

22 Then, let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, 
and mine arm be broken from the bone. 

23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and 
by reason of his highness I could not endure. 

24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the 
fine gold, Thou art my confidence; 

25 If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and be- 
cause mine hand had gotten much ; 

26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon 
walking in brightness; 

27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my 
mouth hath kissed my hand: 

28 This also were an iniquity to he punished hy the 
judge ; for I should have denied the God that is above. 

29 If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated 
me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: 

30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wish- 
ing a curse to his soul. 

31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we 
had of his flesh ! we cannot be satisfied. 

32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: hut I 
opened my doors to the traveller. 

33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hid- 
ing mine iniquity in my bosom : 

34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt 



62 THE BOOK OF JOB 

of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not 
out of the door? 

35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, 
that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adver- 
sary had written a book. 

36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind 
it as a crown to me. 

37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; 
as a prince would I go near unto him. 

38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows 
likemse thereof complain; 

39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, 
or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life : 

40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle in- 
stead of barley. The words of Job are ended. 

CHAPTER 32. 

SO these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was 
righteous in his own eyes. 

2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Ba- 
rachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram : against Job was 
his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than 
God. 

3 Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, 
because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned 
Job. 

4 Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because 
they were elder than he. 

5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the 
mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled. 

6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered 
and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I 
was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 63 

7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years 
should teach wisdom. 

8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of 
the Almighty giveth them understanding. 

9 Great men are not always wise : neither do the aged 
understand judgment. 

10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew 
mine opinion. 

11 Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to 
your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say. 

12 Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was 
none of you that convinced Job, or that answered his words : 

13 Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom: 
God thrusteth him down, not man. 

14 Now he hath not directed his words against me: 
neither will I answer him with your speeches. 

15 They were amazed, they answered no more: they 
left off speaking. 

16 When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood 
still, and answered no more;) 

17 I said, I will answer also my part, I also will shew 
mine opinion. 

18 For I am full of matter, the spirit within me con- 
straineth me. 

19 Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it 
is ready to burst like new bottles. 

20 I will speak that I may be refreshed: I will open 
my lips and answer. 

21 Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, 
neither let me give flattering titles unto man. 

22 For I know not to give flattering titles ; in so doing 
my maker would soon take me away. 



^ THE BOOK OF JOB 

CHAPTER 33. 

WHEREFORE, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and 
hearken to all my words. 

2 Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue 
hath spoken in my mouth. 

3 My words shall he of the uprightness of my heart: 
and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly. 

4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of 
the Almighty hath given me life. 

5 If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order be- 
fore me, stand up. 

6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: 
I also am formed out of the clay. 

7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither 
shall my hand be heavy upon thee. 

8 Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have 
heard the voice of thy words, saying, 

9 I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; 
neither is there iniquity in me. 

10 Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth 
me for his enemy. 

11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all 
my paths. 

12 Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer 
thee, that God is greater than man. 

13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth 
not account of any of his matters. 

14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man per- 
ceiveth it not. 

15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep 
sleep f alleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed ; 

16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their 
instruction, 



THE BOOK OF JOB 65 

17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and 
hide pride from man. 

18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life 
from perishing by the sword. 

19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and 
the multitude of his bones with strong pain : 

20 So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty 
meat. 

21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen ; 
and his bones that were not seen stick out. 

22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his 
life to the destroyers. 

23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, 
one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: 

24 Then he is gracious unto him, and saith. Deliver 
him from going down to the pit : I have found a ransom. 

26 His flesh shall be fresher than a child 's : he shall re- 
turn to the days of his youth : 

26 He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable 
unto him : and he shall see his face with joy : for he will ren- 
der unto man his righteousness. 

27 He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, 
and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not ; 

28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and 
his life shall see the light. 

29 Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with 
man, 

30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlight- 
ened with the light of the living. 

31 Mark well, Job, hearken unto me : hold thy peace, 
and I will speak. 

32 If thou hast anything to say, answer me : speak, for 
I desire to justify thee. 

33 If not, hearken unto me : hold thy peace, and I shall 
teach thee wisdom. 



66 THE BOOK OF JOB 

CHAPTER 34. 

FURTHERMORE Elihu answered and said, 
2 Hear my words, ye wise men ; and give ear unto 
me, ye that have knowledge. 

3 For the ear trieth words, as the month tasteth meat. 

4 Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among 
ourselves what is good. 

5 For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath 
taken away my judgment. 

6 Should I lie against my right? my wound is incur- 
able without transgression. 

7 What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning 
like water? 

8 Which goeth in company with the workers of in- 
iquity, and walketh with wicked men. 

9 For he hath said. It profiteth a man nothing that he 
should delight himself with God. 

10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understand- 
ing : far be it from God, that he should do wickedness ; and 
from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. 

11 For the work of a man shall he render unto him, 
and cause every man to find according to his ways. 

12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will 
the Almighty pervert judgment. 

13 Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or 
who hath disposed the whole world? 

14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto him- 
self his spirit and his breath ; 

15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn 
again unto dust. 

16 If now thou hast understanding, hear this : hearken 
to the voice of my words. 

17 Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt 
thou condemn him that is most just? 



THE BOOK OF JOB 67 

18 Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to 
princes, Ye are ungodly ? 

19 How much less to him that accepteth not the per- 
sons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor ? 
for they all are the work of his hands. 

20 In a moment shall they die, and the people shall 
be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty 
shall be taken away without hand. 

21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he 
seeth all his goings. 

22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where 
the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. 

23 For he will not lay upon man more than right ; that 
he should enter into judgment with God. 

24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without num- 
ber, and set others in their stead. 

25 Therefore he knoweth their works, and he over- 
turneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed. 

26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight 
of others; 

27 Because they turned back from him, and would not 
consider any of his ways : 

28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto 
him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted. 

29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make 
trouble ? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold 
him? whether it he done against a nation, or against a man 
only: 

30 That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be en- 
snared. 

31 Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne 
chastisement, I will not offend any more : 

32 That which 1 see not teach thou me : if I have done 
iniquity, I will do no more. 



68 THE BOOK OF JOB 

33 Should it be according to thy mind? he will recom- 
pense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose ; and 
not I : therefore speak what thou knowest. 

34 Let men of understanding tell me, and let a mse 
man hearken unto me. 

35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words 
were without wisdom. 

36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end 
because of his answers for wicked men. 

37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth 
his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God. 

CHAPTER 35. 

ELIHU spake moreover, and said, 
2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst. My 
righteousness is more than God's? 

3 For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee ? 
and, What profit shall I have, if I he cleansed from my sin? 

4 I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee. 

5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the 
clouds which are higher than thou. 

6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if 
thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him ? 

7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him ? or what 
receiveth he of thine hand? 

8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and 
thy righteousness may profit the son of man. 

9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make 
the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of 
the mighty. 

10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth 
songs in the night ; 

11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, 
and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven ? 



THE BOOK OF JOB 69 

12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because 
of the pride of evil men. 

13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the 
Almighty regard it. 

14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet 
judgment is before him ; therefore trust thou in him. 

15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his 
anger ; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity : 

16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain ; he mul- 
tiplieth words without knowledge. 

CHAPTER 36. 

ELIHU also proceeded, and said, 
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have 
yet to speak on God's behalf. 

3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe 
righteousness to my Maker. 

4 For truly my words shall not he false : he that is per- 
fect in knowledge is with thee. 

5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any : he is 
mighty in strength and wisdom. 

6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked : but giveth 
right to the poor. 

7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: 
but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth estab- 
lish them for ever, and they are exalted. 

8 And if they he bound in fetters, and be holden in 
cords of affliction; 

9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their trans- 
gressions that they have exceeded. 

10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and com- 
mandeth that they return from iniquity. 

11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their 
days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. 



70 THE BOOK OF JOB 

12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, 
and they shall die without knowledge. 

13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they 
cry not when he bindeth them. 

14 They die in youth, and their life is among the un- 
clean. 

15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth 
their ears in oppression. 

16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the 
strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and 
that which should be set on thy table should he full of fat- 
ness. 

17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked : 
judgment and justice take hold on thee. 

18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee 
away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver 
thee. 

19 Will he esteem thy riches ? no, not gold, nor all the 
forces of strength. 

20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in 
their place. 

21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou 
chosen rather than affliction. 

22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth 
like him? 

23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say. 
Thou hast wrought iniquity ? 

24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men 
behold. 

25 Every man may see it ; man may behold it afar off. 

26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither 
can the number of his years be searched out. 

27 For he maketh small the drops of water : they pour 
down rain according to the vapour thereof : 



THE BOOK OF JOB 71 

28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man 
abundantly. 

29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the 
clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle? 

30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and cover eth 
the bottom of the sea. 

31 For by them judgeth he the people ; he giveth meat 
in abundance. 

32 With clouds he covereth the light; and command- 
eth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt. 

33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle 
also concerning the vapour. 

CHAPTEE 37. 

AT this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his 
place. 

2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound 
that goeth out of his mouth. 

3 He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his 
lightning unto the ends of the earth. 

4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the 
voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his 
voice is heard. 

5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great 
things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. 

6 For he saith to the snow. Be thou on the earth ; like- 
wise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. 

7 He sealeth up the hand of every man ; that all men 
may know his work. 

8 Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their 
places. 

9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold 
out of the north. 



72 THE BOOK OF JOB 

10 By the breath of God frost is given : and the breadth 
of the waters is straitened. 

11 Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he 
scattereth his bright cloud : 

12 And it is turned round about by his counsels : that 
they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the 
face of the world in the earth. 

13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or 
for his land, or for mercy. 

14 Hearken unto this, Job : stand still, and consider 
the wondrous works of God. 

15 Dost thou know when God disposed them, and 
caused the light of his cloud to shine? 

16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds the 
wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge ? 

17 How thy garments are warm when he quieteth the 
earth by the south wind? 

18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is 
strong, and as a molten looking glass ? 

19 Teach us what we shall say unto him ; for we cannot 
order our speech by reason of darkness. 

20 Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, 
surely he shall be swallowed up. 

21 And now men see not the bright light which is in 
the clouds : but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. 

22 Fair weather cometh out of the north : with God is 
terrible majesty. 

23 Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: 
he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of 
justice : he will not afflict. 

24 Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any 
that are wise of heart. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 73 

CHAPTER 38. 

THEN the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and 
said, 

2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without 
knowledge ? 

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man ; for I will demand 
of thee, and answer thou me. 

4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the 
earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 

5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest ? 
or who hath stretched the line upon it ? 

6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or 
who laid the corner stone thereof ; 

7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the 
sons of God shouted for joy? 

8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake 
forth, as if it had issued out of the womb ? 

9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and 
thick darkness a swaddlingband for it. 

10 And brake up for it my decreed place, and set bars 
and doors, 

11 And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further : 
and here shall thy proud waves be stayed ? 

12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; 
and caused the dayspring to know his place ; 

13 That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, 
that the wicked might be shaken out of it ? 

14 It is turned as clay to the seal ; and they stand as a 
garment. 

15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and 
the high arm shall be broken. 

16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea ? or 
hast thou walked in the search of the depth ? 



74 THE BOOK OF JOB 

17 Have the gates of death been opened unto thee ? or 
hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death? 

18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? de- 
clare if thou knowest it all. 

19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for 
darkness, where is the place thereof, 

20 That thou shouldst take it to the bound thereof, and 
that thou shouldst know the paths to the house thereof? 

21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or 
because the number of thy days is great ? 

22 Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? 
or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, 

23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, 
against the day of battle and war ? 

24 By what way is the light parted, which scattereth 
the east wind upon the earth? 

25 Who hath divided a watercourse for the overflowing 
of waters, or a way for the lightning of thunder ; 

26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no man is; 
on the wilderness, wherein there is no man ; 

27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to 
cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth ? 

28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the 
drops of dew? 

29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary 
frost of heaven, who hath gendered it ? 

30 The waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of 
the deep is frozen. 

31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, 
or loose the bands of Orion? 

32 Canst thou bring forth Mazaroth in his season? or 
canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? 

33 Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven ? canst thou 
set the dominion thereof in the earth ? 



THE BOOK OF JOB 75 

34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that 
abundance of water may cover thee ? 

35 Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and 
say unto thee. Here we are f 

36 Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts ? or who 
hath given understanding to the heart ? 

37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom ? or who can 
stay the bottles of heaven, 

38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods 
cleave fast together? 

39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the 
appetite of the young lions, 

40 When they couch in their dens, and abide in the 
covert to lie in wait? 

41 Who provideth for the raven his food? when his 
young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat. 

CHAPTER 39. 

KNOWEST thou the time when the wild goats of the 
rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds 
do calve? 

2 Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or 
knowest thou the time when they bring forth? 

3 They bow themselves, they bring forth their young 
ones, they cast out their sorrows. 

4 Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up 
with corn ; they go forth, and return not unto them. 

5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath 
loosed the bands of the wild ass? 

6 Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the 
barren land his dwellings. 

7 He seorneth the multitude of the city, neither regard- 
eth he the crying of the driver. 



76 THE BOOK OF JOB 

8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he 
searcheth after every green thing. 

9 Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide 
by thy crib ? 

10 Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the 
furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? 

11 Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? 
or wilt thou leave thy labour to him ? 

12 Wilt thou believe him that he will bring home thy 
seed, and gather it into thy barn ? 

13 Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? 
or wings and feathers unto the ostrich ? 

14 Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth 
them in dust, 

15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or 
that the wild beast may break them. 

16 She is hardened against her young ones, as though 
they were not her 's : her labour is in vain without fear ; 

17 Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither 
hath he imparted to her understanding, 

18 What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorn- 
eth the horse and his rider. 

19 Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou 
clothed his neck with thunder ? 

20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the 
glory of his nostrils is terrible. 

21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his 
strength : he goeth on to meet the armed men. 

22 He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither 
turneth he back from the sword. 

23 The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear 
and the shield. 

24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage : 
neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 77 

25 He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he 
smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, 
and the shouting. 

26 Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her 
wings toward the south? 

27 Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and 
make her nest on high ? 

28 She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the 
crag of the rock, and the strong place. 

29 From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes be- 
hold afar off. 

30 Her young ones also suck up blood : and where the 
slain are, there is she. 

CHAPTER 40. 

MOREOVER the Lord answered Job, and said, 
2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty in- 
struct him f he that reproveth God, let him answer it. 

3 ^ Then Job answered the Lord, and said, 

4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will 
lay mine hand upon my mouth. 

5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, 
twice; but I will proceed no further. 

6 ^ Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirl- 
wind, and said, 

7 Gird up thy loins now like a man : I will demand of 
thee, and declare thou unto me. 

8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou 
condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous ? 

9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder 
with a voice like him ? 

10 Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency ; and 
array thyself with glory and beauty. 



78 THE BOOK OF JOB 

11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold 
every one that is proud, and abase him. 

12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him 
low; and tread down the wicked in their place. 

13 Hide them in the dust together, and bind their 
faces in secret. 

14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own 
right hand can save thee. 

15 ^ Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee ; he 
eateth grass as an ox. 

16 Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is 
in the navel of his belly. 

17 He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his 
stones are wrapped together. 

18 His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones 
are like bars of iron. 

19 He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made 
him can make his sword to approach unto him. 

20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where 
all the beasts of the field play. 

21 He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the 
reed, and fens. 

22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the 
willows of the brook compass him about. 

23 Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not : he 
trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. 

24 He taketh it with his eyes : his nose pierceth through 
snares. 

CHAPTER 41. 

CANST thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his 
tongue with a cord which thou lettest down. 
2 Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his 
jaw through with a thorn ? 



THE BOOK OF JOB 79 

3 Will he make many supplications unto thee? will he 
speak soft words unto thee ? 

4 Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take 
him for a servant for ever? 

5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird ? or wilt thou 
bind him for thy maidens ? 

6 Shall the companions make a banquet of him? shall 
they part him among the merchants? 

7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons ? or his head 
with fish spears? 

8 Lay thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do 
no more. 

9 Behold the hope of him is in vain : shall not one be 
east down even at the sight of him? 

10 None is so fierce that dare stir him up : who then is 
able to stand before me ? 

11 Who hath prevented me, that I should repay him? 
whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine. 

12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his 
comely proportion. 

13 Who can discover the face of his garment? or who 
can come to him with his double bridle ? 

14 Who can open the doors of his face? his teeth are 
terrible round about. 

15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with 
a close seal. 

16 One is so near to another, that no air can come be- 
tween them. 

17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, 
that they cannot be sundered. 

18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are 
like the eyelids of the morning. 

19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of 
fire leap out. 



80 THE BOOK OF JOB 

20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething 
pot or caldron. 

21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of 
his mouth. 

22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is 
turned into joy before him. 

23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together : they are 
firm in themselves ; they cannot be moved. 

24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a 
piece of the nether millstone, 

25 "When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid : 
by reason of breakings they purify themselves. 

26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: 
the spear, the dart, nor the habergeon. 

27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten 
wood. 

28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are 
turned with him into stubble. 

29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the 
shaking of a spear. 

30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp 
pointed things upon the mire. 

31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh 
the sea like a pot of ointment. 

32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would 
think the deep to be hoary. 

33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made with- 
out fear. 

34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all 
the children of pride. 

CHAPTER 42. 

THEN Job answered the Lord, and said, 
2 I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no 
thought ean be withholden from thee. 



THE BOOK OF JOB 81 

3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? 
therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too 
wonderful for me, which I knew not. 

4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak : I will demand 
of thee, and declare thou unto me. 

5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but 
now mine eye seeth thee. 

6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and 
ashes. 

7 ^ And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these 
words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, 
My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two 
friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is 
right, as my servant Job hath. 

8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and 
seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for 
yourselves a burnt offering ; and my servant Job shall pray 
for you : for him will I accept : lest I deal with you after 
your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing 
which is right, like my servant Job. 

9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and 
Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the Lord 
commanded them : the Lord also accepted Job. 

10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he 
prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as 
much as he had before. 

11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all 
his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance 
before, and did eat bread with him in his house : and they 
bemoaned him and comforted him over all the evil that the 
Lord had brought upon him: every man also gave him a 
piece of money, and everyone an earring of gold. 

12 So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than 
his beginning : for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six 



82 THE BOOK OF JOB 

thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thou- 
sand she asses. 

13 He had also seven sons and three daughters. 

14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and 
the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, 
Kerenhappuch. 

15 And in all the land were no women found so fair 
as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them in- 
heritance among their brethren. 

16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, 
and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations. 

17 So Job died, heing old and full of days. 



PRELIMINARY 

An imaginative dialogue — given as a possible illustra- 
tion of what may have been thought of Job by his con- 
temporaries and acquaintances. 
Scene : 

A roadside small farm and inn, in a ravine leading 
from the hill country to the valley in the land of Uz. 
Characters : 

Jonas; keeper of the inn, and a small farmer. 
Zadok ; an upper country squire and leading citizen. 
Two or three herders and drivers. 
Mrs. Jonas and children. 
Farm animals, etc. 

In the forenoon, Zadok arrives at the inn. 

Jonas. — I bow to you, Zadok! 

Zadok. — All greetings to you! 

Jonas. — I have been expecting you for several days. 

Zadok. — How is that? 

Jonas. — I heard you were collecting for Job's dona- 
tion, and were coming down this way. 

Zadok. — Yes, I am greatly interested in Job's case, 
and have been working on this line off and on for some 
weeks. 

Jonas. — Glad to hear it. You are just the man for it. 
Now to me, Job and his wife seem 'bout like Adam and 
Eve. They had too easy a time of it when they started 
in, got themselves into trouble — one as bad as t'other — 
had to get out of the garden and start over again — had 
to work instead of sitting 'round doing nothing; and a 
man will do lots of things when he's got to. I've found 
that out by myself! 

83 



84 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

Well, how did you make out collecting? 

Zadok. — Fairly; I saw and talked with nearly all the 
farmers in our region; some gave liberally — even camels 
— some gave all they could — even though only a sheep — 
a few gave gold. Some wouldn't do anything, and pre- 
tended they knew all about Job, and he was "no good" ! 
How easy it is to find reasons for being mean, isn't it? 
Some of these same fellows used to shout for Job before 
he fell down. And they really knew little or nothing 
about him — didn't grow up and go to school with him as 
I did. What are you going to do for us, Jonas? 

Jonas. — I've been thinking some about that lately; 
thought some about giving my wife's earrings, but she 
said they were not solid and we would be ashamed to 
give such stuff. So — I — don't — quite — know — . 

Zadok. — ^Yes, yes; I never thought there was any- 
thing very bad about you, but I always said your wife 
was the best part of you. 

Jonas. — I guess so. Now, you know my uncle Esdras 
— down at Big Flat, he is going to turn in his big red 
oxen; I heard him say so — and they are as likely a pair 
of cattle as I most ever did see; heavy, kind, and well 
broke. 

Zadok. — I know Esdras— knew him many years be- 
fore you were born, and I am intending to stop over with 
him tonight. The red oxen will be all right; but before 
we leave in the morning he will turn in a couple of cam- 
els beside. If not, you tell me about it. Now, there's the 
herd coming down the trail. What is Jonas going to do? 

Jonas. — (hesitating) — Well, I've got a very fine 
blooded goat that I've been thinking some about — and a 
little about that brindle heifer. Uncle Esdras says that 
goat is really first-class, and everybody that sees him 
seems to be of the same way of thinking. See how 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 85 

comely and lithe he is, — and what a clear eye he has — 
and — . 

(Here Mrs. Jonas calls out from the door: "Now, 
Jonas, you know that's a good-for-nothing- goat. You 
just give the brindle heifer, same as I told you." And 
the heifer is driven away with the passing herd.) 

Zadok. — (Sitting down for a few minutes' rest before 
following the herd.) Now, didn't I say your wife was 
the best part of you ? You won't be sorry for giving that 
heifer. You have done a kind act, and will be repaid in 
some way, even if you never know how. Job always 
was a good fellow at heart, but you mark my words, he'll 
be better now than he ever was before, because misfor- 
tunes will improve every man that lives through them; 
and he has had his share. When we were boys together, 
he was the brightest boy in the school, and as kind and 
unselfish as he was bright. He would help all the boys 
who were backward — often gave me a lift on some tough 
problem — and he was always ready to fight, even a big- 
ger boy than himself, for imposing on some weaker boy 
or underling. And this kind of work — for others — he just 
took delight in. And as he grew to be a young man he 
was just the same kind of a fellow. His father thought 
the world of him, but the old man was very strict and 
severe, and kept him along very close lines. He tried 
all he could to make Job as good a business man as he 
himself was. 

But Job had his own notions, and didn't al- 
ways take the old man's advice. He would often follow his 
own inclinations — right or wrong — no matter what the 
old man said or thought. He considered his father be- 
hind the times. And when his own boys grew up, they 
all seemed to have a corresponding opinion of him. 

Now, his mother was quite different. She used to let 



86 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

him have his own way and about always took his part 
when his father scolded or found fault with him. Conse- 
quently, the old man's influence grew less and less, and 
this worried him till he died. And when Job came into 
his property he just made things hum. He was like a 
fiery horse without a bridle. He married, but I have 
heard that his wife was a very showy woman, and only 
helped Job to splurge, rnore than to be careful and con- 
siderate. Well, for a time things seemed to go along as 
well, or better, than when the old man was managing. 
She got to be more and more extravagant in every way, 
and Job was as generous as she was reckless. His kind- 
ness made him forget prudence. But no one seemed to 
realize how much he was in debt till bad luck came upon 
him, and then everything broke out at once. His credi- 
tors made a regular stampede — seized and sold off all 
his stock and whatever he had, nor did he try to keep 
anything back — just let it all go. And he seemed to 
stand up pretty well so far, but when that hurricane de- 
stroyed the big house he had built for his eldest son — 
you know all his ten children were killed in that smash- 
up — he broke down completely. Job thought the world 
and all of his boys and used to feel that he was some- 
what to blame for their wildness. And he used to think 
more about this whenever they had one of their drink- 
ing carousals (Job 1:4, 5 and 18). He tried then to 
straighten them out, but 'twas too late. 

Well, both he and his wife took to worrying and 
fretting about it, and that did them no good. She went 
wild over it, and Job, harassed by their condition, could 
hardly sleep or rest. Discouragement brought disease 
and made him a very sick man. His wife blamed God 
for all their troubles, but her foolishness seemed to bring 
him to his senses (Job 2:9 and 10). 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 87 

This will I say for Job, though he was not satisfied, 
yet he retained a strong faith in God (Job 19:25-26). 
That was his anchor — faith in God. But, Jonas, let me 
tell you something : Implicit and unyielding faith in God, 
even though we do not understand his dealings, is the 
grandest asset that any man can have, for it will be a 
support to him when all things else fail ! And this — Job's 
experience has helped me to realize. 

You must have known his boys? 

Jonas. — Yes, somewhat. They were mostly older 
than I and wouldn't hardly look at me. My father didn't 
have the shekels. They used to have camel races every 
day — to school in the morning, and back home in the 
evening; and I tell you, we little fellows had to clear 
the track and get out of the way. So did the geese and 
the dogs, and even grown folks, too. They were terrors ! 
Always had liquor with them when they came, and 
empty bottles when they went back. Wet or dry, hot or 
cold, it made no difference. They kicked up an awful 
dust in dry weather and splashed through the mud when 
it rained. Sometimes one would win and sometimes an- 
other, and they often disputed and quarreled about 
crowding, and such like — I've seen 'em fight over it. 

After they got married, I pretty much lost account of 
them — only used to hear once in a while, but I disre- 
member hearing much good about 'em. The young- 
est was about my age. As a little chap he was 
first rate, but I heard that when he grew up he was about 
like the rest, or maybe worse, for he had more bad pat- 
terns to follow after, and that might naturally have 
worked agin him. But I don't really know and have 
paid no attention to it. I've got about all I can do keep- 
in' myself straight. And whenever I do happen to think 
about these more important folks — and their troubles, it 



88 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

makes me more contented right here on my little place. 
If my house should blow down, it wouldn't be apt to 
hurt any of us. Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! There's some good in 
being poor, after all. 

Zadok. — Truly yes, Jonas! There's more truth in 
what you have just said than men are apt to remember. 
Truly yes. 

(They part with expressions of good will, Zadok rid- 
ing down the road, — Jonas going to his farm work and 
wishing himself like his departing friend.) 

Zadok. — (soliloquizing) — "Surely, it takes everything 
to make a world! Surely, we all have our special place 
and our appointed work. Surely, this young fellow, con- 
tentedly living a simple life, doing his plain duty, use- 
ful to his family and those who depend upon him — sure- 
ly, he is better off than Job's boys at their best — better 
off than Job — and surely — better off than I ! O, for con- 
tentment! Yes, yes; well, so goes the world!" 

A younger man than I has read this little dialogue 
and promptly comments as follows : 

"It is too hypothetical and a mistake. Job was a per- 
fect and an upright man. The Bible so states in the first 
verse of the book, and the Lord said so in the eighth 
verse of the first chapter." 

Granted, my young friend ; and I am glad to find you 
are something of a student of the Bible. Also I advise^ 
my boy, that you continue this most important study 
and do not delay it. Your present concept of Job may be 
modified. I am glad, however, for the criticism, for it 
shows the superficial impression of many. 

No living man can perfectly understand, much less 
explain, the deep meanings of the Bible (2nd Peter 3:16). 
Nor Peter, nor Paul, could see clearly. Nevertheless, 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 89 

there stands Jesus' command, "Search ye the Scrip- 
tures". 

So let us look at the eighth verse of the first chapter 
of Job, which says : 

"And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered 
my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, 
a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and 
escheweth evil?" 

We have no record of the author. But let us begin 
our search by considering who was the speaker, and to 
whom was he speaking; and straightway these questions 
come up : 

1st. Does Deity confer with and consult Satan? 

2nd. Does God debate and bargain with the Devil ("a 
liar from the beginning and the father of it") in his deal- 
ings with men ? 

3rd. Is God, who is love, influenced by hate? 

4th. Are these the methods of Spirit, or "a Spirit" — 
God? 

5th. Is there a perfect man in the earth? 

Now, unless these five direct questions can be an- 
swered affirmatively, we have absolutely no evidence of 
Job's perfection or uprightness during his early days of 
material prosperity, except his own words. These words 
his three friends attributed to self-righteousness (Job 
32:1). And the "suffering still continues". 

Furthermore, Elihu, addressing the three "wise men" 
(who claimed to be better than Job but were not so, as 
finally shown), gave his estimate of their friend (Job 34: 
7, 8, 9). And the "suffering still continues". 

Finally Job himself, when he discerns the voice of 
Eternal Truth out of the whirlwind of his experience and 
his awakened consciousness, confesses and acknowledges 
with these words: "Behold I am vile; — I will lay mine 



90 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

hand upon my mouth"; and still later, when his spiritual 
eyes are opened, he says : '*But now mine eye seeth thee 
— wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and 
ashes." So! Where now is the evidence of "a perfect 
and an upright man — in the earth"? 

Job was possibly, even probably, about seventy years 
of age when the most wonderful experiences of his 
earthly career came to him. This may be presumed 
from his having grown-up sons and daughters living in 
their different houses and enjoying the flippant lives of 
the careless. Had he not thus passed through his allotted 
"three score and ten" ? 

The writer would not willingly be unjust to the 
memory of Job. I estimate him from a knowledge of 
men that I have seen and known; and from my own 
severe trials. I do not believe he was a distinctly bad 
man, nor a type of such, but that, in common with the 
rest of mankind, he needed the regeneration which finally 
came. '^Experience is a great teacher!" 

I have no confidence in the recommendation of that 
so-called lord who is supposed to have talked with the 
devil, and who claimed to be the master of Job. Aye! 
I will go farther, even though he may have lorded it over 
me for "three score years and ten", I utterly repudiate 
him ! I deny his pretention ! 

The real Master once said : "The prince of this world 
cometh and hath nothing in me." Who, or what is 
this prince? 

I do not presume to fully comprehend the great truths 
of the Bible but, nevertheless, from my present light, I 
believe that this "prince of this world", the Lord spoken 
of in Job as talking with Satan, and the Lord who 
"formed man out of the dust of the ground", if not the 
same, are closely related together! And farther, — on this 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 91 

I Stand: To believe in them as Deity, or of Deity, is to 
dishonor God, Eternal Good. 

"God is Spirit"; and the overshadowing command, — 
itself forever Spiritual — is, "Thou shalt have no other 
gods, before Me". 

Nineteen hundred years ago Jesus said to the tempter, 
"the prince of this world", "Get thee behind me, Satan 

thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." 

So says the Christ today. 

Is it difficult to see the utter falsity of a statement 
that "the Lord thy God" ever conferred with Satan? 



A SUMMARY. 

We naturally sympathize with Job. Suflfering excites 
the emotion of pity. Superficially we regard him as a 
fine example of an upright man and he evidently was 
(or had previously been) in the full enjoyment of an ex- 
cellent opinion of himself and his much valued reputa- 
tion. The historical account gives him an exalted posi- 
tion. His three friends apparently respect him and are 
very considerate in the early part of the controversy, 
but in their later words, when they become annoyed and 
angry, they charge him with swindling, oppression and 
cruelty. Some men, even in our day, will suggest, hint 
and insinuate, but get them angry and they become more 
reliably truthful and state the facts. 

The writer claims to understand Job through similar- 
ity of experiences and, therefore, it follows that in show- 
ing his faults I must condemn myself. Even this shall 
not deter me from telling the truth, for the parallel must 
not be abridged. Job had not been quite what he claimed 
to be (Chap. 29:14). Putting on righteousness, he gave 
himself credit for doing so much good to those who sur- 
rounded him, and this was probably true. How easily 



92 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

we refer to the great amount of good we have done, and 
are proud of it! 

Are men of reputation ( !) for good works equally- 
willing to tell the truth concerning the mistakes that 
make up the other and less satisfactory side of their ex- 
perience — the selfish work of former days? 

Have you not often heard men talk of what wonder- 
ful examples of uprightness, liberality, kindness and ex- 
cellency they ''used to be" before they had bad luck? 
Or does not a lazy man delight in detailing how hard he 
used to work in former years, or some other place or po- 
sition ? 

It is made plain that Elihu, with all his charity and 
kindness toward Job did not fail to consider both his 
virtues and his faults. (See Chap. 34:4, 7, 8, 9, 35, 36, 
Z7.) 

Paul, in his early life, prided himself on being "a 
Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee" and "lived a Pharisee". 
So! Now, my friends, just think of this, remembering, 
that we are dealing with facts in all earnestness and 
sincerity, trying to be absolutely honest and to call things 
by their right names. In the 23rd chapter of Matthew, 
the Master describes what the Pharisees really were. 
And today, "Pharisees and sons of Pharisees" are re- 
clining in the homes of wealth, directing finance in 
richly fitted offices of bankers, sitting in judges' chairs 
in our courts — yes, and in some cases preaching from 
religious pulpits. O ye Pharisees! Regeneration must 
come to you "some way — somewhere", even as it came 
to Job, or to Saul of Tarsus. O Job ! O Paul ! Regenera- 
tion came to you ! Even you ! (John 3 :6.) The solicitude 
of the Pharisees, ancient or modern, to appear upright, 
preponderates over their desire to be correct. 

There are today thousands of men in all walks of 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 93 

life who might, with advantage and profit, compare their 
lives with that of Job. My friend, are you one of them? 
I cannot hear your answer — but if it be "yes", then there 
is a strong sympathy between us, — that is, Job, yourself 
and the writer. 

Job's unsatisfactory condition he sets forth especially 
in chapters 12, 13, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23 and 26 to 31, inclusive. 
Don't hastily say I am giving you too lengthy references 
or "I haven't time",* but read them and refer to them 
more than once. And remember that, during all this 
time, his old companions were earnestly endeavoring 
to "explain things" to him. But still Job remained un- 
satisfied; nor could his honest and kindhearted friends 
convince him, because, most clearly, he realized that 
their knowledge was not in advance of his own. And 
so it proved. His suffering continued. 

The friends spoke from the standpoint of traditional 
information (variable) and human reasoning (opinions, 
liable to differ), while the younger man based his words 
on Spiritual understanding (unerring truth). (See Job 
32:8 and 18. Also Chap. 33:4-6. Also Chap. 36:3, 4 
and 5.) 

Turn now to chapter 40. Job here makes complete 
and entire submission, acknowledges his vileness (errors 
and iniquities), silences his selfish self; and listens to 
Truth; the ever-coming Christ, which was "before Abra- 
ham" (John 8:58), and "before the world was". (John 
17:5.) 

Verses 7 to 14 inclusive, show to Job (and to us of 
today also), the utter inability of man to save himself 
with or by his "own right hand", — which is human 
knowledge. 

*This was Agrippa's excuse to Paul. 



94 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

Next (verses 15 to 24), this monster, human knowl- 
edge, is allegorically compared to Behemoth. 

Following this comes chapter 41, which is entirely- 
given up to another allegory, namely, a description of a 
larger, more powerful, more terrible and more cruel 
monster of the deep. This "deep" by no means refers 
to river or sea, but to the fathomless ocean of conscious 
existence. In this incomprehensible and boundless 
ocean, "Wherein are things creeping innumerable, both 
small and great beasts", there is evil, which "plays there- 
in". (See Ps. 104:25-26.) 

But, in considering these things, materiality must be 
set aside as a dim candle, and the towering flame of 
Spirituality must be the Light. Mortal eye sees it not, 
and mortal ear distinguishes it not. 

This is made plain in Isaiah's vision (6th chap, of 
Isaiah), where, by Divine command, he says, "Hear ye 
indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but per- 
ceive not". And the Master confirms this. (Mat. 13:14 
and Mark 4:12.) 

Of old, Saul of Tarsus was well provided with what 
is called "good common sense", and also, for his day, a 
full stock of "literary perception", and reason held full 
sway. So ! 

But Paul, "called to be apostle of Jesus Christ through 
the will of God", put aside his reasoning mentality ex- 
cept as it was subservient to spirituality. No longer 
did his faith stand "in the wisdom of men, but in the 
power of God". This he taught to his brethren. This 
he is today saying to you. This, in an advanced condi- 
tion, here or in the hereafter, all must understand. 

Here, my brother, is our trouble, as Paul points out 
to us, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the 
Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 95 

can he know them, because they are spiritually dis- 
cerned" (1st Cor. 2:14). What a mine of instruction is 
this second chapter of First Corinthians ! The Spiritual, 
over that which "cometh of evil" (Mat. 5:37). 

Regenerated Paul often refers to unregenerated 
Saul with his load of human mistakes and iniquities. As 
examples see Acts, 22:19-20; Romans, 7:8; Titus, 3:3, 
and others. 

Does it appear to most Bible readers of today that 
the lord, who talked with the devil, and was moved by 
him (Job 2:3), is identical with He who "answered Job 
out of the whirlwind"? 

If so, I do not agree with them. And if they believe 
that the Lord who formed Adam "out of dust" is identi- 
cal with Him who "created man in His own image", 
again I do not agree with them. 

And if they believe that the earthy man is identical 
with the man "after God's likeness", once more, I do not 
agree with them. 

Let me not be presumptuous, but rather will I beg 
and entreat my friends and all whom I may influence in 
any degree, that they may study the Bible more and more, 
with an earnest desire for Spiritual Understanding; and 
this itself, in some measure, shall be your reward. 

Do not expect this in its fullness and perfection, for 
you will not be likely to attain such elevation. Paul could 
not accomplish this. (Phil. 3 :12-13.) But you can advance 
through sincere and honest desire and willingness to 
work earnestly. When you have ascended the high and 
beautiful mountain before you, from this new vista will 
be seen another higher and more beautiful range. 



96 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

CHAPTER I. 

Story of the Dispute. 

"There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name 
was Job". This is the opening sentence of the book of 
Job. Of this book and what it means to humanity I pro- 
pose to write a few pages of opinions, not claiming the 
support of any authority beyond or above my own con- 
ception of the book itself; of the Bible and its teachings 
and methods of instruction to mortals; of things that 
have come into my experience in a manner unaccount- 
able to me, and through varied occurrences and observa- 
tions of a lifetime. 

The land of Uz seems very indefinite as to location, 
and this is well, for its exact boundaries or history are 
to the people of today of little importance. While it would 
be interesting to know something of the history of the 
author of the book of Job, of whom the highest authori- 
ties can go little farther than to say that he antedated 
Moses, nevertheless, the great value of the book to the 
people of this age is in its allegorical interpretation. 
Viewed in this light, the land of Uz may be any and every 
locality, and Job any and every man. Moreover, the date 
of the occurrence of the drama may be thirty-five cen- 
turies ago or in any century following, or even preceding. 

The story must have been fact, or founded on fact 
Imaginative though poet and dramatist may be, "Truth 
is stranger than fiction". Man cannot conceive of such 
imagery. Its foundation must have been on actual oc- 
currences. It might be called a history of regeneration. 

The whole wonderful account of Job portrays the 
history of a proud, prosperous, boastful and worldly 
man; filled with a sense of self-assertiveness through 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 97 

what he considers his own achievements above those of 
other mortals. He is represented to be wealthy, as 
wealth was estimated in ancient times. 

"His substance was seven thousand sheep, and three 
thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five 
hundred she asses, and a very large household; so that 
this man was the greatest of all the men of the east." 
(Chap, 1 :3.) 

So he was great chiefly on account of his wealth, but 
it is not related how he came into possession of that 
wealth. Growing rich by breeding cattle is a slow pro- 
cedure, so that it seems natural to presume that most 
of Job's riches came through inheritance, and therefore 
he may be considered to a certain extent as a parallel of 
the "spoiled child of fortune". Such usually do not have 
cares or responsibilities thrust upon them in early life, 
and are not infrequently improved through disappoint- 
ments and trials. In fact, few men really develop into 
usefulness unless it be through encountering and over- 
coming troubles in some form, and the more formidable 
these troubles, the grander will be the victory over them. 

However, Job's reputation was that of a good man. 
Without any discernible cause, misfortunes and disas- 
ters came upon him thick and fast; first through the loss 
of his property, followed immediately by the death of all 
his children. Yet Job said, "The Lord gave, and the 
Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." 

"In all this Job sinned not nor charged God foolishly." 
Chap. I, vs. 21, 22. 

Next, by permission of the Lord, he is given into the 
hand of Satan (Chap. 2:6), and by him is smitten "with 
sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown". 

Human reason and human sense of justice will at 
once cry out why? But human reason can give no an- 



98 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

swer, though it tries to, for we see no justice in what we 
regard as punishment, except it be for the committing of 
an offence; and in Job's case there seems to have been 
no offence. 

A sense of resentment causes Job's wife to exclaim, 
as she sees him in his suffering and thinks of their dis- 
appointments and misery, "Dost thou still retain thine 
integrity? Curse God, and die." 

"But he said unto her. Thou speakest as one of the 
foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good 
at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all 
this did not Job sin with his lips." (Chap. 2:10.) 

Evidently, Job considered God the author of good and 
evil. 

Now, It will be remembered. Job's three neighbors 
(friends) appear upon the scene, Eliphaz, Bildad and 
Zophar. They all are supposed to be older than Job, 
and on that account consider themselves superior to 
him in wisdom and understanding, but this assumption 
is not admitted by Job. Each one points out the reason 
of the troubles and afflictions that have come upon him, 
and all agree that these proved him guilty of great wick- 
edness. Also each one prescribes a course for him to 
follow, declaring that the result of adopting their indi- 
vidual advice, will certainly meet the requirements of his 
condition. 

Eliphaz regards Job as foolish, shortsighted, silly, 
etc., and gives his advice. 

Bildad tells Job he is not prayerful enough, nor "pure 
and upright"; experience shows this. He may, by and 
by, do better, etc., and gives his advice. 

Zophar accuses Job of talking and lying and mocking, 
for which he deserves more punishment, and then offers 
his advice. How eminently human ! 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 99 

Job indignantly denies their accusations and scorns 
their claims of superiority. Instead of comforting, they 
only mock him. "Let them go to the beasts, the fowls 
of the air, or to the earth, and the fishes of the sea for in- 
struction." (See Chapters 12 and 13.)* 

These chapters indicate Job's sentiments towards his 
critical and somewhat presumptuous friends, whom he 
calls "forgers of lies", and "physicians of no value", and 
says, "Hold your peace and it should be your wisdom". 
Job's reverence toward God is boundless, but he desires 
to reason with Him, showing concurrence with his friends 
in a conception of God as material, — not as Spiritual. 
At the beginning of Chapter 13 he severely rebukes 
them. 

I have little to say of the three friends, nor of their 
many true and interesting sayings. To review these 
would involve more detail than is here necessary. The 
friends seem to represent our dear old acquaintances 
Tradition, Dogma and Doctrine. 

Job's opening words to these three men were to la- 
ment the day of his birth, to deplore his condition, to 
wonder why he was given life, and to give expression 
to fear, which is the opposite of trust in God! 

"Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, 
and life unto the bitter in soul; which long for death, 
but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hidden 

*Let it not be overlooked that there is no direct evidence of Job's 
high character except his own. When a man is accused of moral de- 
linquency, he will usually deny it. Job's experienced friends did not 
have entire confidence in him. Perhaps from knowing their own 
weaknesses, they distrusted Job. "The heart is deceitful above all 
things and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9.) 

And this to all : "Do we not already know more of this heart than 
we are willing to have our neighbor see?" From my oivn experience 
I question Job's unreserved candor/ How natural and human is the 
desire to appear to be better than we really are! 



100 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

treasures; which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when 
they can find the grave?" (Chap. 3:20-22.) 

"The thing which I greatly feared is come unto me." 
(Chap. 3 :25.) 

FEAR. 

Fear overcame him ; fear, the opposite of faith, of 
trust; fear, the child of evil. What is fear? Is it an entity 
or a ghost? Is it an emotion, and if so, how can we over- 
come it? How but by faith and trust in God? Paul writes, 
"Perfect love casteth out fear." In other words, only 
by perfect obedience to what the Saviour declared to be 
the first and great commandment can man overcome this 
tool of the devil — fear. Fear leads to supineness and dis- 
couragement, two other influences of the devil. 

Continuing Job said, "I was not in safety, neither 
had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came." Does 
not chastening and purifying discipline often follow (even 
in our day) just such condition of mind? 

Then begins the discussion between Job on the one 
side, and Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar on the other.* 
They proceed gently at first, and attempt to show that 
Job's suffering is a proof of his wickedness. This Job 
denies, and each of the three friends reaffirm, with the 
result that mild differing opinions are succeeded by angry 
controversy. This takes up most of the book, continuing 
to the thirty-second chapter. The friends argue and rea- 
son with Job, and are, of course, actuated by kind mo- 

*It may be useful to give here the meanings of the names of the 
five principal characters: 
Job; The much afflicted. 
Eliphaz; God of gold: Riches. 
Bildad; Son of contention; contender. 
Zophar; chatterer. 
Elihu; whose God is He. 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 101 

tives. Nevertheless, their individual or combined elo- 
quence is powerless to convince Job, or to satisfy his 
desire for a better knowledge of God and his dealings 
with men. Their failure is total and unmistakeable. This 
Job points out in his closing speech, which begins with 
Chapter twenty-six, and is unequalled by anything that 
preceded it in the controversy. "So these three men 
ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his 
own eyes." 

Were they not under the same condition of self- 
righteousness as that with which they charged their 
friend? Read what Paul says to just such men: 

"Thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art 
that judgest; for wherein thou judgest another, thou con- 
demnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same 
things." (Rom. 2:1.) 

True, in Job's time, in the days of Paul, and equally 
so in the present age. Tradition, Dogma and Doctrine, 
full of self-righteousness, feel themselves called upon to 
criticise and condemn that which is an advance over their 
dogmatic opinions. 

Many wise and true maxims and sayings are pro- 
nounced by the three friends, yet certainly not surpassing 
and perhaps not equalling those of the greater man whom 
they sought to discipline. To all appearance, Job is, so 
far, master of the situation. 

The closing words of Job form the climactic speech 
of the whole controversy. It is the very embodiment 
of reasoning power and a grand lesson in eloquence, to 
the young man who would aspire to be an orator. It 
begins with the 26th and ends with 31st chapter, and is 
full of useful and instructive texts. In chapter 29 Job 
regretfully and longingly reviews his past, when he was 
"the greatest of all the men of the east", and in mem- 



102 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

ory glorifies himself without measure, "I put on the 
robes of righteousness and judgment." (Chap. 29:14.) 

The next chapter contrasts his present with his 
former condition. Formerly he despised those whom he 
thought beneath him in the social scale, while now con- 
ditions are reversed. Even the children of those he dis- 
dained "spared not to spit in his face"! And all this, 
mistaken Job charges to God! 

Read again this 30th chapter and you can see from 
it Job's conception of God and his attitude toward Him ; 
in awe of his power, but distrusting his justice or wis- 
dom; uncertain and unsatisfied — yet with a desire for 
improvement. This fervent desire is the "blade" from 
which follows "the ear, after that the full corn in the 
ear." It is the "grain of mustard seed". Right desire, 
is man's first prayer, and its earnestness is brought out 
as he realizes his need. 

CHAPTER 11. 

Elihu, the Forerunner. 

We turn a leaf and a new character enters the scene. 
This is Elihu, a young man who had been an interested 
listener to the discussion between Job and the three 
older men, but too modest to speak until they had fin- 
ished. This sentiment Elihu carefully, and in a very 
modest manner, first explains to his listeners, and then 
grows more firm as he proceeds with his words which 
finally embody one of the grandest and most instructive 
speeches that ever has been heard or written in any 
age. The thirty-second chapter of the book consists of 
the prelude to this speech. 

What a contrast when this young man (perhaps a 
beardless boy), assumed to speak in the presence of 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 103 

the four mature and experienced men who had preceded 
him, and to express thoughts which were so entirely at 
variance with their settled opinions; thoughts which 
were new to them and which they were unable to com- 
prehend ! No wonder indeed — "They were amazed, they 
answered no more: they left off speaking; they stood 
still and answered no more." (Chap. 32, vs. 15-16.) 

And why? Or rather, indeed, when the situation is 
really understood, how could it have been otherwise? 
There must have been a lifting up of gray heads and 
whitened beards, a wrinkling of aged foreheads and a 
wide opening of dim, but inquiring eyes, which were 
aimed severely at the "boy", as they undoubtedly re- 
garded him. They could not at first, comprehend that 
they themselves were "in the oldness of the letter", 
while the younger man was "in newness of spirit". 
(Rom. 7:6.) But this they were ultimately made to un- 
derstand. 

From beginning to end the speech of Elihu is an 
exemplification of that true Spiritual discernment which 
is called inspiration. This he realizes and announces 
when he says at the eighth verse of chapter thirty-two: 
"There is a spirit in man : and the inspiration of the Al- 
mighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not 
always wise; neither do the aged understand judgment." 

Does not this clearly mean that neither natural tal- 
ent, education nor experience bring to men real capacity 
to discern correctly? Such knowledge is "hidden from 
the wise and prudent and revealed unto babes." 

Of this Jesus said, "Even so, Father; for so it seemed 
good in Thy sight . . . No man knoweth . . . 
the Father, save the Son (Christ), and he to whomso- 
ever the Son (the ever present Christ) will reveal Him." 
The Master's disciples were not chosen from the (human- 



104 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

ly) "wise and prudent". But he "opened the under- 
standing" of the plain and simple-minded fishermen, 
while to the "wise and prudent" the revelation of spirit- 
ual understanding remained hid. 

So was it to Job and the friends, for they reasoned 
and argued chiefly, if not entirely, from the human 
standpoint, without realizing that reason alone, cannot 
give true wisdom. The friends thought themselves col- 
lectively and individually to be comprehensive teachers, 
while Job believed himself to be the superior of them all. 
And at last what gained they as a result of their long 
controversy? This only, that "The words of Job are 
ended," and "these three men ceased to answer." All sat 
silent. Reason had tired itself, as it has alway done 
and always will do, in such disputations, because it is 
based only on human opinions, which are subject to 
change and are therefore unreliable. Human reason, 
which prides itself today on its literary perception and 
intelligent understanding, is incapable of comprehend- 
ing that which is given to man through revelation. The 
Bible is the one grand exemplification of this fact. In 
both the old and new testaments the preponderance of 
revelation over reason is repeatedly affirmed and made 
clear. The Master illustrated and taught it. Peter, 
John and Paul built upon this rock of spiritual under- 
standing. True in their day; true in the days of Job; 
eternally true. In the present age Spiritual Truth is 
again asserting and proving its power, while earthly 
reasoners, like Job's three friends, are "amazed" and 
"stand in awe" of clearer light! 

So Job's condition of suffering continued. He was 
not relieved either of his physical suffering, or of his 
mental anguish, by the intended and well meant kind- 
ness of his friends, neither is there anything, so far, to 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 105 

indicate that his understanding of God's dealings with 
men, which he so much wished for, had made any pro- 
gress. He remained in hopeless despondency and utter 
despair. 

But "man's extremity is God's opportunity." A 
brighter day was soon to dawn on this example of suffer- 
ing mortality. Unto Job, this "young man" was as the 
morning star which portends the coming light of better 
understanding, the illumination of human consciousness. 

Elihu has been referred to as a forerunner. Such he 
was to Job certainly, and to the friends possibly, even 
as John the Baptist was witness to the coming of the 
Christ in the person of Jesus. Of John, the Master said : 
"This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send my mes- 
senger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way 
before thee." And more He said. (See Matt. 11:7-15, 
also Is. 40:3.) 

So came Elihu to Job. The parallel is complete. 
Both these forerunners spake from and through spiritual 
understanding. How could it be otherwise? Both were 
in the human sense, unlearned and inexperienced, but 
both brought "knowledge from afar" — Aye! from the 
boundless and soundless Sea of Spirituality! 

Man in his earthly condition, has distinctly within 
himself a material, and a spiritual element, which are 
manifestly opposed to each other. Paul says, "For the 
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the 
flesh : and these are contrary the one to the other." And 
this opposition will continue until the former yields to 
the latter. It is a warfare between good and evil. Evil 
will fight in darkness, from behind trees and rocks, and 
will use whatever weapons it can find. Evil is the "carnal 
mind" which is "enmity against God, for it is not subject 
to the law of God, neither indeed can be." (Rom. 8 :7.) 



106 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

In the concluding pages of this book something more 
will appear on the subject of these opposing elements 
that struggle within man for control. 

But let us give a little more attention to what is de- 
clared by this younger man, who speaks first to the 
friends and says of Job, "Now he hath not directed his 
words against me; neither will I answer him with your 
speeches" (reasoning).* 

The plain meaning of this beginning is that the knowl- 
edge, through and by which Elihu would speak, did not 
come from any earthly school of instruction, neither 
from human experience, for he was young and his oppor- 
tunities of this kind were far inferior to those of his lis- 
teners. And yet he was able to speak with an under- 
standing so far in advance of theirs, that they made no 
attempt to reply but were "amazed". 

Their conception was of the immense distance be- 
tween God and man, while the speech of Elihu is closely 
in harmony with the saying "The kingdom of Heaven 
is at hand." 

Let us for a while follow the speech as to its meaning, 
not fully by the letter, but by prominent and suggestive 
points. 

"I am full; the Spirit Avithin me constraineth me, I 
am ready to burst as wine in bottles, I will speak, that 
I may be refreshed, I will open my lips, let me not ac- 
cept any man's person. I know not to give flattering 
titles ; in so doing my maker would soon take me away." 

"Wherefore Job hearken. My tongue hath spoken; 
my lips shall utter knowledge clearly. The Spirit of God 



♦Confucius was one of the greatest reasoners of whom we have 
any account, but what has the "Wisdom of Confucius" done for the 
Chinese people? This: It has made them worshipers of reasoning ideas 
represented by idols; manlike gods. 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 107 

hath made me. Behold I am in God's stead. I also am 
formed of clay." (A Spiritually-inspired man.) Lips; 
Tonglie ; — Not Brain ! 

"Behold, I shall not make thee afraid, nor shall my 
hand be heavy upon thee." (Kindness with firmness.) 

"I have heard thy words saying, I am clean without 
transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in 
me. Behold, He (God) findeth occasions against me; 
He counteth me for his enemy; He putteth my feet in 
the stocks ; He marks all my paths." 

"Behold, in this thou art not just; I will answer thee. 
God is greater than man. Why dost thou strive against 
Him?" (John 6:63.) 

"God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth 
it not. In a vision of the night, then He openeth the ears 
of men, that he may withdraw man from his (mistaken) 
purpose, He keepeth back his soul from the pit and his 
life from perishing, he is chastened also with pain, so that 
his life abhorreth bread, his flesh is consumed away, and 
his bones stick out. 

"Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, his life 
to the destroyers. 

"If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, to 
show unto man his uprightness (his inner self), then He 
is gracious unto him and saith, 'Deliver him from going 
down to the pit; I have found a ransom' (See Psalm 
37:6). 

"His flesh shall be fresher than a child's; he shall re- 
turn to the days of his youth, he shall pray unto God, he 
shall see His face (spiritually) with joy. 

"He looketh upon men, and if any say *I have sinned, 
and perverted that which was right and it profited me 
not,' He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, he 
shall see light. 



108 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

*'Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with 
man. 

"Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me; hold thy peace; 
I will speak. If thou hast anything to say, speak, for I 
desire to justify thee. If not, hold thy peace. I shall 
teach thee." 

Let the reader now turn to the thirty-fourth chapter 
arid he will find it addressed almost entirely to the three 
friends whom Elihu characterizes as '*ye wise men; ye 
men of understanding"; and to them he speaks with the 
same authority (spiritual, inspired from above), with 
which he had spoken to Job. Turning again to the lat- 
ter, he says (Chap. 35) : 

"Thinkest thou this to be right that thou saidst *My 
righteousness is more than God's?' 

"For thou saidst, 'What profit shall I have if I be 
cleansed from my sin?' 

"I will answer thee and thy companions with thee. 
Look to the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds 
which are higher than thou. If thou sinnest, what doest 
thou against Him ? If thou be righteous, what givest thou 
Him? 

"But none saith, 'Where is God my maker, who 
teachest us more than the beasts and makest us wiser 
than the birds?'" And so, pretentious and presump- 
tuous men, depending more on human reasoning than on 
spiritual understanding, more on the erring and false 
than on the unerring and true; more on knowledge than 
on wisdom, are led into concepts, opinions and beliefs 
that involve us in mistakes.* 



♦"Solomon Wiseman attended Earth's college — 
Read all the books on the shelves of knowledge, 
Took 'first honors' in the study of knowledge, 
Clothed himself with the garment of knowledge, 
Constructed a home in the grove of knowledge, 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 109 

''Surely, God will not hear vanity. Although thou 
sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him, 
therefore trust thou in Him. Job doth open his mouth 
in vain — words without knowledge." 

In chapter thirty-six and thirty-seven, Elihu 
with "knowledge from afar" (inspiration) gives grand 
descriptions of the allness and the absolute oneness of 
the Divine Power which we call God. 

"Magnify thou His work, which men behold. Every 
man may see it; man may behold it afar off. Touching 
the Almighty, we cannot find Him out; He is excellent 
in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice; 
He will not afflict." 

These are the concluding words of this ancient fore- 
runner. He has indeed prepared the way, not through 
the skillful deductions of learned and experienced men — 
"the wise and prudent"; not by or through the channel 
of human thought, which, while serviceable to man in so 
many ways, is always liable to veer as it encounters ob- 
stacles in its path; but through inspiration, which comes 
from a source indescribably higher than human reason, 
and gives understanding in place of varying opinions. 

By their silence, the three friends manifestly acknowl- 
edged the superiority of Elihu, even though he so dis- 
tinctly disagreed with them. Neither of them attempted 
to make any reply. So also did Job recognize this younger 
man as one who spoke from knowledge higher than his 
own. He was ready to dispute and wrangle with the 

His bread was baked in the ovens of knowledge, 
His pleasures were sought in the harem of knowledge, 
He builded a house to the glory of knowledge, 
And exalted himself, in this temple of knowledge, 
Forgot the True God in the worship of knowledge, 
Found 'no new thing* as result of Earth's knowledge, 
Called it all Vanity' — and sought Truth's college!" 

(Read 2nd chapter of Ecclesiastes). 



no JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

friends, but received the affirmations of Elihu as some- 
thing that could not be controverted or impugned, be- 
cause of his recognized spiritual authority. Nor is there 
any word of resentment from either Job or his friends 
when their errors are pointed out to them. Bewildered 
amazement changes to an acknowledgement of the su- 
periority of revelation. 

Is it too much to say that this spiritually instructed 
messenger was the precursor of the evercoming Christ, 
who was before Abraham, and is with man always? 
Here was the beginning of dawn in Job's understanding, 
to be followed by light, before unseen and unknown, but 
vaguely heard of. 

Of John the Baptist the Master said that "none great- 
er was born of woman". There is nothing to indicate 
education or experience in his case (he was about the 
age of Jesus), therefore this immortal testimony makes 
it clear that John's greatness was through the possession 
of spritual intuition, so far above human knowledge. 
Paul says, "The wisdom of this world is foolishness with 
God." "The thoughts of the wise are vain." Isaiah 
says, "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils ; 
for wherein is he to be accounted of?" Corresponding 
sayings are numerous in the books of the Bible. If you 
look for them, with open eyes, "you will find". 

But inspiration speaks only truth, because it proceeds 
from the great source of all truth. In it there is abso- 
lutely no element of deviation — no right hand or left, but 
unconditional straight-forwardness. Inspired truth comes 
not from or through mortal seeing, or mortal hearing, nor 
from the deepest thinking of the human mind. Inspira- 
tion is sacredly and exclusively spiritual. 

Paul, in the second chapter of First Corinthians, de- 
scribes the working of Spirit in his own consciousness 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 111 

and the utter dissimilarity and vast superiority of that 
which is revealed, as compared with that which is dis- 
cerned through "the wisdom of this world". 

Carefully read and study that chapter. It is in itself 
a volume of information. Inspired ideas were evolved 
before the days of Elihu, and by no means ended with the 
days of Paul. What, indeed, has revelation not done for 
religion and for mankind! What is it accomplishing in 
these latter days? How can revelation be, except by in- 
spiration? When or how did what we consider inspira- 
tion begin? Who can say it is ended — or ever will end? 
What evidence exists that it belongs to any age? The 
Bible is built on the rock of inspiration, "The Christ" 
(Mat. 16:17). 

A mortal man is made up of a physical body and a 
human intellect, which may be compared to dust and 
vapor.* How utterly different from spiritual man, made 
in God's likeness. Can dust and vapor (materiality) 
be the likeness of God which is Spirit? On the contrary, 
is it not the unlikeness of Spirit ? 

Inspiration understands and reveals. It is the eter- 
nal-teacher of Truth. It is not the exclusive attainment 
of Rabbi or Priest, Scribe or Pharisee. 

Of the four chapters of Job, closing with the 37th, it 
is plain that whoever reads them should have uppermost 
in his mind the deepest sentiment of reverence and awe! 
No one has a full understanding of them, for how can 
any man comprehend the method of God! We may, in- 
deed, "Look unto the heavens and see; and behold the 
clouds which are higher than thou." We may listen for 
truth and be benefited by what we hear. We are influ- 
enced by good, but we cannot influence Good, for Good 

*Dust and vapor — that which crumbles and that which fades and 
disappears. 



112 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

is perfection absolute; Good is God, and "He giveth not 
account of any of his matters." Good alone understands 
good. God alone understands God. Good is God, as dis- 
tinctly as God is good. Moreover, good exists every- 
where. Even in you, though you do not realize it (Ps. 
37:6). 

CHAPTER III. 
"Before Abraham was, I am." 

From that sublime hour w^hen "the Lord answered 
Job out of the whirlwind", Spiritual light became his 
guiding star, rising and growing brighter; and Spiritual 
understanding a healing, an enlightening and an elevat- 
ing force, steadily increasing in power. Then did he 
realize and say, "Therefore have I uttered that I under- 
stood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew 
not." Then also, by divine appointment, he prayed ef- 
fectually for his friends (Elihu is not mentioned as one 
of them, however), and his captivity (to human sense) 
was turned. (Job 42:10.) Spiritual truth had overcome 
and subdued mistaken human pretention. 

All who read the four grand chapters (38 to 41 in- 
clusive), may note that they begin with references to the 
material creation, including the earth and the stars. These 
are followed by references and comparisons to various 
animals, including beasts and birds. The first fourteen 
verses of Chapter forty illustrate man's incapacity to 
govern through or by his own human understanding 
("thine own right hand"), which, left to itself, will do him 
more of harm than good. Human self is the "carnal 
mind" — the "man whose breath is in his nostrils". It is 
the selfish man, utterly and entirely apart from the Spir- 
itual or true man, who is made "in our image, — after our 
likeness". 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 113 

"God is Spirit" and therefore it remains that "his 
likeness" is spiritual. Otherwise where is similarity or 
resemblance? 

Is the fleshy man His image? NO. 

Is the carnal selfish mind His image? NO. 

Can any person or thing that is not entirely good be 
His likeness? NO. 

Can the material eye discern the form of God? NO. 

Can the human ear discern or recognize the voice of 
God? NO. 

Can the material sense in any manner describe or 
comprehend God? NO. 

How then can this be explained or understood, "Then 
the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said"? 
(Chap. 38:1, 40-6.) 

One may not be able to answer this last question 
satisfactorily, but most reverently I will try. If the ef- 
fort is not wholly successful, perhaps it may lead to in- 
duce some abler man, with greater resources than mine, 
to bring out a better explanation and to place his words 
in a more comprehensive frame. My conception is only 
fallible, and may be only one of many opinions, any or 
all of which may be incorrect in part or entirely. But I 
see no interpretation so clear as this which follows. 

It was absolutely a divine message from God, the 
ever present Good, coming into Job^s awakened spiritual 
consciousness. Not from or through his human mentality, 
neither from the reasoning arguments of his friends ; not 
from "taking thought", but by "taking no thought"; not 
by the human ear, but solely and entirely through the 
spiritual understanding, which pertains to what Paul 
calls the "inner man". 

This "inner man" must grow and develop into a con- 
trolling force and become able, first to cope with, and 



114 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

then to subdue and bring into willing obedience the hu- 
man mentality upon which mortals so much depend. This 
is a David and Goliath battle, in which the giant must be 
overcome. Human mentality is as a giant, defying all, 
and claiming strength and power above all. But the less 
pretentious "inner man", armed with faith, trusting in 
God alone, determined, tireless and deathless, must be the 
victor. When or how this victory will occur, "knoweth 
no man, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."* 
(Matt. 24:36; Mark 13:32.) 

Let us turn again to Elihu, whose opening words 
filled his hearers with amazement, and his continued 
speaking presented a gleam of ideas which before had 
never occurred to them. Drawing his "knowledge from 
afar" he was indeed a splendid example of spiritual 
power, compared to which all other so-called power is a 
cipher. 

No thoughtful man can read the book of Job without 
clearly seeing that the instruction so evident in the first 
thirty-one chapters, even though they contain so much 
of worldly wisdom, is not to be compared with that of 
the eleven concluding chapters, which embody an ac- 
count of Spiritual awakening, and its effect upon the man 
who thereby is aroused to a higher sense and understand- 
ing of life. 

What a subject this is for reflection, and how much 
could be written upon it ! Through Spiritual discern- 
ment alone can we know the Truth. But, see it we must, 
for the Master said, "Ye shall know the truth, and the 
truth shall make you free." So came the ever-existent 
and ever-coming Christ to Job, even as it comes to all 



*"The wind bloweth where it Hsteth, and thou hearest the sound 
thereof, but canst not tell whence it coraeth, and whither it goeth: 
so is every one that is born of the Spirit." — (John, 3:8.) 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 115 

who earnestly seek for it — but "Elias truly shall first 
come and restore all things". (Matt., 17:11-13.) 

All Christians acknowledge John the Baptist as the 
forerunner of the appearance of Christ (the Christ) to 
the world in the person of Jesus. He came as a plain, 
lowly but sincere and earnest worker "crying in the wil- 
derness". In like manner came the young man, Elihu> 
to Job, as one who awakens a sleeper; crying in the wil- 
derness of human mistakes. 

At the concluding part of Elihu's speech are refer- 
ences and comparisons to the sky, the clouds, the weather, 
the thunders and lightnings (see Chap. 37 entire), and 
these are noticeable as preliminary to the "voice out of 
the whirlwind". Certainly Job had passed through a 
storm of experience, in his early prosperity, followed 
closely by adversity, sorrow, suffering, discouragement 
on the part of his wife and unsatisfactory disputes with 
his kindly but mistaken friends, who were his neighbors 
and companions. 

Now Elihu (unpretentious as to age, experience or 
worldly wisdom), comes with an awakening speech based 
not on human reasoning (which is liable to mistaken 
conceptions and conclusions), but on Spiritual under- 
standing, which is true knowledge — such as was given to 
John the Baptist when he proclaimed, "the kingdom of 
heaven is at hand". And this quickening sermon is at 
the height of the storm, culminating in the voice "out 
of the whirlwind", which came, bringing light to Job, even 
as the voice of Christianity came to the world when the 
Christ appeared in the person of the man Jesus, bringing 
light to the world. 

John the Baptist "was not that light, but was sent to 
bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, 
which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." 
(John, 1 :8-9.) 



116 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

Nevertheless, the teachings of the forerunner were in 
perfect accord with those of him whom he came to wit- 
ness. So also the teachings of Elihu were in harmony 
with the illuminating instruction of the "Voice". 

Elihu had heard the commanding voice, and realized 
that obedience was imperative (Job, 32:22), and his mes- 
sage to Job is for all readers of the Bible. His work was 
blessed in its effect upon Job, and its further influence 
on his three kind but mistaken friends. And, if we of 
today, are really "seeking" (as commanded by the Mas- 
ter) we also can be benefited by the awakening words 
of this ancient forerunner. 

How different, this blessed obedience of Elihu, from 
the disobedience of "the prophet Jonah", whose endeav- 
ors to escape from duty plunged him into a stormy sea 
of indescribable difficulties and troubles. (Jonah, Chap- 
ters 1 and 2.) 

This is indeed the ever-speaking voice of God, "yet 
man perceiveth it not". That is, the reasoning man of 
the world, whose eyes are blinded and whose ears are 
stopped by the over-shadowing cares, joys, sorrows, 
pleasures, sufferings and innumerable incidents of this 
present existence, is hindered from perceiving.* 

Not so with the spiritual man, whose senses 
are not limited by or to, earthly experiences; 
for only through spiritual enlightenment do we, 
or indeed can we, discern the Truth of divine 
influence. Elihu, guided by Spiritual understand- 
ing, was far more in harmony with that voice out of 
the whirlwind, than with the reasoning of the friends, or 
Job's replies to the friends. What wonder that they 
were amazed ! What wonder that the doctors, when they 

*The master said: "The prince of this world cometh, and hath 
nothing in me." This refers to human reasoning, man's "right hand". 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 117 

heard the words of the youthful Jesus, "were astonished 
at his understanding and answers". So also were his 
parents amazed when they found him hearing and ques- 
tioning the humanly wise theologians of his day. Yet 
his parents understood not. And why? Because of lack 
of ability for spiritual discernment, for in this they were 
on the same level with the learned elders and doctors. 
(See Luke, 2 :46-50.) 

Even the disciples, who were with the Master, were 
unable to fully comprehend his words. Peter, the most 
assertive and therefore apparently the strongest minded 
of them, seemed to have the largest share of trouble, 
while the meek and quiet John, through higher spiritual 
insight, was far better able to understand him. Between 
these two stood questioning Philip and doubting Thomas. 
Luke (not one of the twelve) appears to be the most care- 
ful and painstaking. Afterward came Paul; a tower of 
mentality, but, until his marvellous conversion, unable 
in the least to understand the grand truths of Christ 
Jesus' teaching. Then, however, there were given to him 
revelations, which were and are beyond the capacity of 
mortals to measure. No Christian questions the validity 
of those revelations to Paul — "Paul an apostle of Jesus 
Christ by the will of God by the com- 
mandment of God". 

If, in this age, there be those who deny inspired revela- 
tion since the days of John and Paul, there are many 
who will not and cannot agree with them. There are evi- 
dences of revelation in every age, and none so tremendous 
as that which though so long obscured from man by 
shadowy clouds, is again visible through spiritual under- 
standing — like as a snow-crowned mountain in the heav- 
ens! Look in the right direction, "seek, and ye shall 
find". "Watch"; for the winds of truth are blowing 



lis JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

away the clouds of human mistaken concepts. Truth, 
which alone commands the wind, is being revealed (to 
spiritual eyes) even now. Truth is the one All-power 
which regenerates the universe. 

*'Ye shall know the truth, and the Truth shall make 
you free." 

The thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth chapters brought 
to Job and his bewildered friends teachings of the entire 
insufficiency and inability of the human mind to compre- 
hend or, except in a very limited sense, understand even 
the things which are all around us. Many questions are 
asked, not one of which can be fully answered or ex- 
plained through man's reasoning. The plain lesson is 
the inadequacy of man's philosophy, and the limitless 
power and wisdom of God. Human reason is as incap- 
able of comprehending God, as the human eye is of be- 
holding Him. "The wisdom of this world is foolishness 
with God." 

This is even more forcibly brought out in the first 
fourteen verses of the fortieth chapter. Job's Spiritual 
self, is just beginning to awaken, and he takes his first 
step in the right direction. "I will lay mine hand upon 
my mouth." That is, he silences his reasoning and turns 
entirely to spiritual guidance and strength. The Voice, 
with a few more words, reveals to him more fully man's 
utter inability, in and of himself, "thine own right hand" 
(that is by his own human wisdom), to save or protect 

either his body or his mind. "God is 

mighty in strength and wisdom." (Job, 36:5.) "The wis- 
dom of this world (man's right hand) is foolishness with 
God." (1 Cor., 3:19.) And Jesus referred to human fore- 
sight, and human strength and cunning, when he said: 
"Pluck it out, and cast it from thee," and "Cut it off, and 
cast it from thee." (Mat. 5:29-30.) Human thought 
plainly cometh of evil. (Mat., 5 :37.) 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 119 

CHAPTER IV. 
Behemoth and Leviathan. 

With the fifteenth verse of this (40th) chapter begins 
a description that surpasses anything that has preceded 
it, even as the human is above the animal. It is an alle- 
gorical representation of that intelligence which we call 
the human mind, and here figuratively referred to as an 
animal, though possessing qualities which are unthink- 
able as pertaining to any beast. The name given to this 
marvellous nondescript is Behemoth. This name oc- 
curs nowhere else in the Bible but in the book of Job, 
and here only once. Regarding it, learned men have 
given much time to discovering exactly what animal (?) 
was the one referred to. Let us look into this matter a 
little and see what results they have accomplished. 

The most careful literary interpretation I have found 
says, "The term Behemoth, taken intensively, may be as- 
sumed to be a poetical personification of the great Pachy- 
dermata, or even Herbivora, wherein the idea of hippo- 
potamus is predominant." 

But, getting a little more plain, Webster defines Behe- 
moth as "an animal, probably the hippopotamus", and 
Leviathan as "an aquatic animal, probably a crocodile." 
Old Bible dictionaries and commentaries give correspond- 
ing definitions; and it would seem that they are com- 
monly accepted, today, alike by scholars, professors and 
the clergy, and of course by laymen at large. Some He- 
brew writers speak of Behemoth as the largest land ani- 
mal, and Leviathan as the largest sea animal (somewhat 
indefinite). Elephants and whales are likewise given re- 
spectful consideration. Average people think little or 
nothing concerning the subject. 

The "Encyclopaedia of Religious Knowledge" is au- 



120 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

thority for the opinion that the hippopotamus was the 
animal spoken of as Behemoth, in the book of Job; and 
further, that Behemoth and Leviathan "evidently appear 
to be presented as companions ; to be reserved as fellows 
and associates."* 

It further states : 

"Aristotle represents the hippopotamus to be of the 
size of an ass; Herodotus affirms that in stature he is 
equal to the largest ox; Diodorus makes his height not 
less than five cubits, or about seven feet and a half; and 
Tatius calls him, on account of his prodigious strength, 
the Egyptian elephant." 

And again : 

"Nor is he less remarkable for his sagacity; of which 
two instances are recorded by Pliny and Solinus. After 
he has gorged himself with corn, and begins to return 
with a distended belly to the deep, with averted steps 
he traces a great many paths, lest his pursuers, following 
the lines of one plain track, should overtake and destroy 
him while he is unable to resist. The second instance is 
not less remarkable. When he has become fat with too 
much indulgence, he reduces his obesity by copious 
bleedings. For this purpose he searches for newly-cut 
reeds, or sharp-pointed rocks, and rubs himself against 
them until he makes a sufficient aperture for the blood to 
flow. To promote the discharge, it is said, he agitates 
his body; and when he thinks (?) he has lost a sufficient 



♦Whoever wrote this sentiment may have been nearer correct than 
men are aware of. Materially, no. Figuratively, yes. There is little 
in common between the hippopotamus and the crocodile. Fear and 
voracity will hardly promote companionship. Only figuratively can 
they be reserved as ''fellows and associates". Then it may be under- 
stood as human intelligence, so prone toward companionship with un- 
godliness. Evil (the devil) continually seeks companionship with the 
human mind and too often, his seductive approaches are entertained. 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 121 

quantity, he closes the wound by rolling himself in the 
mud." O ye doctors ! 

Of the Leviathan it states : 

"The old commentators concurred in regarding the 
whale as the animal here intended. Beza and Diodati 
were among the first to interpret it the crocodile; and 
Bochart has since supported this last rendering with a 
train of argument (?) which has nearly overwhelmed all 
opposition, and brought almost every other commentator 
over to his opinion. It is very certain that it could not 
be the whale, which does not inhabit the Mediterranean, 
much less the rivers that empty themselves into it; nor 
will the characteristics at all apply to the whale. The 
crocodile, on the contrary, is a natural inhabitant of the 
Nile, and other Asiatic and African rivers; of enormous 
voracity and strength, as well as fleetness in swimming; 
attacks mankind and the largest animals with most dar- 
ing impetuosity ; when taken by means of a powerful net, 
will often overturn the boats that surround it; has, pro- 
portionally, the largest mouth of all monsters whatever; 
moves both its jaws equally, the upper of which has not 
less than forty, and the lower thirty-eight sharp, but 
strong and massy teeth; and is furnished with a coat of 
mail, so scaly and callous as to resist the force of a mus- 
ket ball in every part except under the belly. Indeed, to 
this animal the general character of the Leviathan seems 
so well to apply, that it is unnecessary to seek farther." 

How transient are the wild-flowers of guess work! 

How tangled and confused, and therefore unreliable, 
are the reasonings and varying conclusions (?) of these 
so-called authorities on the subject ! Men of good motives 
undoubtedly they were — and learned in their way, but 
so wedded to materiality, as to be unable to comprehend 
anything beyond a fleshy animal. 



122 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

Suppose that one of these learned men had carefully 
explained to a lot of Sunday-school children all about 
Leviathan as a crocodile, and just here some incorrigible 
ten-year-old should suggest: "Isaiah (27:1) says ^Levia- 
than is a crooked serpent*," and another inquiring young- 
ster should remark : "David says that Leviathan has more 
than one head." (Psalm 74:14.) Consternation! We have 
then David and Isaiah (both are inspired writers) on 
the one side, and the learned commentators on the other ; 
and consequently, who shall the children believe? 

It should be remembered that there are two ways of 
interpreting Bible statements; the spiritual and the ma- 
terial, and the latter should, and finally must, give prece- 
dence to the former. Spiritual is godlike; the material 
is manlike, the true and the false. 

As a matter of fact, there is no reason to believe that 
either Behemoth or Leviathan, as animals, ever had an 
existence; for it is entirely impossible that any material 
animals could answer or fulfill the descriptions given of 
them in the book of Job ; neither do they come near those 
descriptions, as can be plainly seen by anyone who will 
carefully read them. They are fallacies — material con- 
ceptions, merely someone's opinions.* 

In what manner is Behemoth "chief of the ways of 
God"? 

Tell the meaning of "he that made him (Behemoth) 
can make his sword to approach unto him". 

What is meant by "mountains" in verse 20th? 

Verses 21 and 22 — Does Behemoth lie "under the 



*A11 eflforts to account for Behemoth and Leviathan as animals 
or as representing scientifically classified spcies of animals as "pachyder- 
mata" (thick skinned), or "herbivora" (grass-eaters), or Carnivora 
(flesh eaters), are failures. Such comparisons do not and cannot meet 
the case neither in word nor effect. We must look beyond the material! 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 123 

shady trees (planning, scheming, plotting) in the covert 
of the reed, and fens"? "The shady trees"? 

Is it not human pretention that "drinketh up a river" 
— that "can draw up Jordan into his mouth"? 

"He taketh it v^ith his eyes ; his nose pierceth through 
snares !" Can an animal fulfill this description ? Is it not 
perfectly fitted to describe Human Intelligence? Read 
again Job 40:15-24. 

"Behemoth" (reason), made as man's servant, is ever 
ready to become his master. Uncontrolled by good (God) 
he becomes perverse, tyrannical, and obstinate in the 
wrong — like a vicious horse, kicking or biting — now balk- 
ing, now going ahead spasmodically, unreliable and full 
of anger. Looking for trouble and finding it. He is run- 
ning mate to Leviathan. He is the warhorse that must 
be tamed and guided. 

The correct name for "Leviathan" is EVIL. He is 
the adversary, the serpent in the garden. He is the oppo- 
site of God, Good; the Satan that "came also", the "pes- 
tilence that walketh in darkness", "a liar and the father 
of it", "the great red dragon" that "stood before the wo- 
man ..... to devour her child as soon as it was 
born", "that old serpent called the Devil, and Satan which 
deceiveth the whole world". (In Isaiah, 27:1, we read: 
"Leviathan, the piercing serpent. Leviathan, that crooked 
serpent".) "Behold the hope of him is vain ; shall not one 
be cast down, even at the sight of him " — "Who hath 
prevented me, that I should repay him? Whatsoever is 
under the whole heaven is mine." (Job, 41:9-11.) God 
alone can subdue sin. 

"I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his 
comely proportion." 

(How different from "Behemoth" (the human mind), 
which "I made with thee !") 



124 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

"Who can open the doors of his face?" "His heart is 
as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the nether 
mill stone." Look not on his face nor his stony heart. 

This "Leviathan" is the uncreated Devil that is for- 
ever seeking to deceive, to delude and to mislead human 
intelligence. Jesus called him by his right name, "a liar 
from the beginning and the father of it". (John, 8:44.) 
This is the murderer that wrought in Saul the Pharisee 
(afterward Paul), "all manner of errors" and then "slew 
him". (Rom., 7:8-n.) 

Take time to study (not carelessly read), this seventh 
chapter of Romans. It is too deep to be comprehended 
by simply reading. 

Behemoth typifies what Paul calls "carnal mind", in 
his letters to Romans and Corinthians. 

Shall we look for higher authority? Listen to the voice 
of Jesus the Christ, the Son of God. He warns us against 
depending upon thought; that is, human intelligence, 
which, spiritually, is the "eye" that must be "plucked 
out" and the "right hand" that must be "cut ofif" before 
we can come into the correct understanding of that truth 
which "makes us free". 

In the 14th verse of the 40th chapter of Job, human 
intelligence is very distinctly referred to as the right 
hand of Job. 

Humanity has its Spiritual element, and this is the 
grandest truth that man can know ; but it is like a sleep- 
ing infant. 

Humanity has its unspiritual element, which is like 
a wide-awake young man ("the young lion"), and under 
this influence humanity is continually getting itself into 
mistakes which lead to troubles of every kind, including 
sin and sickness. This was clear to the psalmist when 
he wrote: "They are all gone aside, they are altogether 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 125 

become filthy; there is not one that doeth good, no, not 
one!" (Ps., 14:3.) Paul enlarges very much on this in the 
third chapter of Romans beginning at verse 5. Also 7 :23. 

Humanity can escape from the thrall of this errone- 
ous condition, by awakening its Spiritual self, nurturing 
its growth, heeding its voice and obeying its words, for 
it can only utter Truth. It is the "still small voice" 
which comes not of human knowledge, but through the 
quiet atmosphere of true Christianity, which is Spiritual. 

The grand fact of the Bible, the grander fact of Re* 
ligion, the grandest fact of Christianity, is the predomi- 
nance of Spiritual Truth over human (so-called) knowl- 
edge. 

If you ask to know whence the writer has been able 
to see certain things that are averred in this book, I will 
promptly say I do not know with certainty. For example : 
expressing the belief that "Behemoth", "the lion" and 
"the young lion", all refer to human reason; — and also 
that "Leviathan", "adder" and "the dragon", are identical 
and all refer to sin. 

I am charged with assumption. So! Let me reply 
that they who assert or believe that these nondescripts, 
Behemoth, Leviathan and Dragon are animals, are 
equally assumptive. Who ever saw one of them ? 

This, however, I will affirm and positively declare, I 
have heard the words of a voice, which I am convinced 
proceeds from a source that is higher than reason. 

Let me here quote a few passages from the Sacred 
Word regarding this "Voice". 
L "Cry aloud. Spare not, Lift up the Voice, like a 

trumpet." (Is., 58:1.) 

2. "The Voice of God said. Let there be Light and there 
was Light." (Gen., 1 :3.) 



126 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

3. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was 
with God, and the Word was God." (John, 1 :1.) 

4. *'He spake by the mouth of his holy prophets." 
(Luke, 1 :70.) 

5. "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness." 
(John, 1 :23.) 

6. "The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind." 
(Job, 38:1.) 

7. "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my 
beloved Son." (Mat., 3:17; Mark, 1:11.) 

8. "And there come a voice out of the cloud." (Luke, 
9:35.) 

9. "My word shall not pass away." (Jesus.) 

10. "Wisdom uttereth her voice in the streets." (Prov. 
1 :20.) 

11. "If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will 
come in to him." (Rev. 3 :20.) 

12. "The first voice which I heard was as it were of a 
trumpet." (Rev., 4:1.) 

And hundreds of other similar expressions from Gen- 
esis to Revelations. "Yet man perceiveth it not." (Job, 
33 :14.) We hear the audible voice ! Let us listen for the 
unerring Spiritual Word. 

CHAPTER V. 
An Incident. 

In the first months of the year 1865, in the mining 
town of Virginia City, Nevada, there was a young man 
lying very sick. The trouble began with pleurisy, and 
for six or seven weeks it seemed as though every organ 
and membrane in his chest was swollen with inflamma- 
tion, attended with very high fever and with tormenting 
pain and suffering. During most of this time he was de- 
lirious. 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 127 

He was in a good house in which all conditions were 
more than comfortable. Friends surrounded him, one of 
whom became his constant attendant and companion for 
months. Two of the best physicians in the city treated 
him in consultation, and for a time they were hopeful, 
from the fact that the patient had a good constitution 
and his age (28 years) was considered to be that at which 
a man has the greatest capacity to combat and endure 
disease and suffering. 

So the long, long days dragged wearily on. Each 
morning friends kindly inquired, only to be disappointed, 
until even the light of hope disappeared from the view 
of nurse, doctors and friends. One of the doctors said, 

"You may as well write to Mr. 's friends and tell 

them that it will be impossible for him to be alive twenty- 
four hours hence." The other doctor (who was an inti- 
mate friend of the sufferer) bore a look of utter discour- 
agement, and the face of the friend who was acting as 
nurse seemed to express only hopeless despair. All looked 
for the end. 

That night the patient, in a few moments of sleep, 
dreamed that the saw the door of his room opened, and 
there came in a young stranger with a smiling and good- 
natured face, who in a businesslike manner announced 
that he came from the office of death. The dreamer qui- 
etly asked "Have you come for me?" And after a little 
parleying was told, "No." (The author could detail more 
of this interview, but it is unnecessary.) Fear was not 
present. 

The next morning, when the doctors came, the pa- 
tient whispered to his friend that he felt a little better, 
and the sympathizing doctor agreed with this, and a day 
later the fever had very much abated, and symptoms were 
more favorable. 



128 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

Now follows the most deeply interesting part of this 
story. For many days the sufferer had been delirious, 
and in his illusion he imagined that the forms of two 
others were beside him. He was lying upon his back and 
believed that at his right, and close against him, was a 
somewhat yoimger and smaller man, and next to him 
was a little boy of say six or seven years or so. No one 
of this trio could escape, or alter his position, but the 
patient was suffering by fire for all three. He never 
spoke of them nor turned to see, but yet was so vividly 
conscious of how they appeared that, although this oc- 
curred nearly forty-eight years ago, the impression still 
remains — so vividly that, if he were a painter, he could 
detail their expressions on canvas. The young man 
seemed a cheery young fellow, such as you often meet, 
somewhat thoughtless, gay, free from care, neither es- 
pecially good nor distinctly bad, neither wise nor silly, 
a kind of inexperienced starter out in some unknown 
career, ready to go anywhere or do almost anything that 
promised a living and success. He seemed a little dis- 
satisfied with the patient for detaining him, not suffering 
pain himself, nor once offering to assist or relieve the 
patient; indifferent, as though he would say, "Live or 
die, I have nothing to do with it. If you live — I'll prob- 
ably stay with you. If you die — I'll try some other man." 
Toward the boy at his side, he seemed to be alike indif- 
ferent, though not unaware. 

Millions of exampks of this stamp are and ever have 
been embodied in, and are clinging to, all conditions of 
humanity, though unseen by the eye, and scarce- 
ly ever realized or in any way recognized by those whom 
they persistently attend. They have utterly no regard 
for the first commandment; neither for the two great 
commandments spoken by Jesus. They exemplify only 
the stubborn will of selfish man. 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 129 

But more of this fellow farther on. 

Now, the face of the little boy, represented something 
quite different; an appearance of neglect and conscious- 
ness of such neglect; aware of something wrong; a de- 
sire to go over to the sufferer but kept from doing so by 
the one before described ; an expression of childlike help- 
lessness because he was unable to make things better; a 
feeling such as a child ijiight have who was concerned 
for his parent; innocent of evil — like those of whom the 
Master said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, for 
of such is the kingdom of heaven!" 

When, as already stated, a condition of improvement 
showed itself, the patient's friends in their kindness, 
brought to him some food, which he had not tasted for 
many days, and though he took but little, that little was 
in his weakened state too much. As a consequence the 
fever again increased for some hours to its full force. 
The delirium returned, and with it these same two like- 
nesses just described. This time, however, their stay 
was short, lasting perhaps half a day. Then improve- 
ment again came, very gradually, and after four or five 
months, health was sufficiently regained so that the man 
could resume his business, though never with his former 
physical strength. He, however, continued a business 
career of many years, resulting in financial success, but 
realizing the oftproven unavailability of wealth to confer 
true riches. During all this career the unsympathetic 
young fellow described on the preceding pages was his 
constant companion and co-partner, though the man 
knew it not. The influence of the little fellow seemed 
not to develop. Perhaps it is unnecessary to say that the 
man who was the subject of this whole incident, is the 
writer of these pages. The soulless companion was — 
Evil, the deceiver of all mankind. 



130 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

It would seem that the suffering described ought to 
have turned him to God, the only real refuge. But no. 

Had he heeded the "still small voice" of the pleading 
child, perhaps it had been better. Perhaps otherwise. I 
know not. The spiritual eyes of my inner self were again 
closed, — to be once more opened through suffering! 

Let none say hastily or carelessly that the foregoing 
was merely the dream of a delirious mind. Though you 
may think so, you do not know it, and there is a vast 
difference between thinking and knowing. This to all. 
I know it was far more than a dream, which, it is claimed 
and generally admitted, lasts but a few minutes, and usu- 
ally disappears like vapor. But very different from the 
disappearing dream of the sleeper is the vision of truth, 
which is from the immortal. The dream is uncertain and 
utterly unreliable ; perhaps now and then apparently cor- 
rect, but far more frequently illusive and false, as all can 
easily remember. If you dreamed something and it, as 
they say, "came true", have you not a hundred times 
dreamed of something that did not, or could not occur? 

Entirely different, however, is the vision of truth, 
which comes through spirituality, instead of materiality, 
and these two differ from each other even as light dif- 
fers from darkness. 

Nevertheless, let us stop here for a moment and con- 
sider. It is clear to many, as the Bible teaches, that man 
has human understanding (which often makes mistakes) 
and a spiritual understanding, which is always correct. 
Paul makes this plain. (Rom., 7:14 and 8:1-26.) Now, 
if both these differing elements dream, should it not be 
that the first named is unreliable and the second true? 
I make no assertion, but simply inquire of "ye that have 
knowledge". Who can answer? Who can say yes, or no? 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 131 

CHAPTER VI. 

To those who will carefully study the book of Job, it 
is a mine of instruction and a reservoir of spiritual under- 
standing. The writer has endeavored to study it prayer- 
fully, which is far more than carefully. 

The great Desire of man is human knowledge, while 
his great Need is spiritual understanding. Knowledge 
comes from and through thought, and is the wisdom of 
this world, which Paul declares "is foolishness with God". 
In the first, second and third chapters of his first letter to 
the Corinthians he describes and accents the vast differ- 
ence between knowledge (human) and wisdom. He in- 
herited and attained in earlier life much of the former, 
but the latter only came after his marvellous conversion. 
Thenceforward, till he finished his course, he was con- 
stantly putting off *'the old man with his deeds" and put- 
ting on "the new man". That is, rising from knowledge 
to wisdom, from that which reasons to that which under- 
stands; from the "carnal mind" even to the "spiritual 
mind". (Rom., 8.) 

I may be presumptuous. I may be unable to see 
clearly. I may "open my mouth in vain, and multiply 
words without wisdom." I may be "darkening counsel 
by words without knowledge." If so, I know it not. God 
knows all. And this consoles and comforts even me ; for 
He knows my honesty and the deepest motives of my 
heart. So be it. I have endeavored to perform a duty. 

Please refer now to the the sketch and explanation, on 
the two pages following the title page of this little book, 
in which is illustrated a presentation that came distinctly 
and directly to me. Doctors may smile with pity; theo- 
logy may reject with scorn and be disposed to "cast him 
out" (John, 9:34), but "one thing I know, that, whereas 



132 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

I was blind, now I see" (John 9:25). Dawning light is 
coming, where before, all was darkness. 

Let us ask in what manner does the "carnal mind" 
differ from the fleshly body? The most distinct differ- 
ence seems to be that the first is invisible to the human 
eye; for both are "of the earth earthy". 

The young man so ill in Nevada in 1865, now, in newer 
understanding of life, realizes that he was at that time so 
near dissolution that he saw himself with his larger share 
of "carnal mind", which is human, and his struggling 
element of Right, which is Spiritual, and yet he under- 
stood not! "See ye indeed, but perceive not." (Isaiah, 
6:9.) The Bible often refers to this blindness and lack of 
understanding. These "two or three" must be "gathered 
together in his name". 

What is the real meaning of these "two or three"? 
The condition is "in my name," and the promise is, 
"There am I in the midst of them." 

As commonly read it seems to refer to the assembling 
of a small number of individuals. So! With this inter- 
pretation, an isolated man (perhaps the single survivor 
of a shipwreck who found himself alone on an island, 
hundreds of miles from anyone else), would be excluded 
from the benefit of this promise of the Master! 

May it not be explained by Paul's references to him- 
self; the "carnal mind" and the "inward man"? If so, 
it is clear to me, that one of these three must be the in- 
ward man which is Spiritual. 

If theology claims that revelation ended with the days 
of John and Paul, where is the theologian who can prove 
it? The writer utterly denies such a claim, for disproof 
of it has come through personal experience. 

Yet nearly fifty years passed before the seed so plant- 
ed unfolded into life. And this development came at- 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 133 

tended by suffering; nevertheless, not by pain alone, but 
through something of discernment of the voice "out of 
the whirlwind". 

(Read the ninth chapter of Isaiah, especially verses 
2j 12, and 17 to 21, inclusive.) So the war continued. 

I was, indeed, "in the land of the shadow of death" 
when the dawning light shone upon me, yet was I so dull 
of comprehension that I did not understand it for more 
than two score years. And why? Because I listened to 
the evil more than to the good. Evil led me into darkness 
and then fought against me (see Lam., 3:1, 2 and 3; 
also Rom., 7 :23) though I knew it not. 

Evil was with me, more potent than good. These are 
the opposing elements within every man. Evil is what 
Paul calls the "old man, which with his deeds must be 
put off". 

Evil is entirely selfish ; full of envy and greed ; is not 
subject to the law of God; never advises man honestly; 
has no regard for his little neighbor, good; in fact, con- 
stantly opposes any influence adverse to his own; may 
perhaps says, "Be honest, because honesty is the best pol- 
icy", but never, because it is right. Now, how could it be 
otherwise, since evil "is of the earth, earthy"? (1 Cor., 
15-47.) Evil flourishes on the tree of knowledge ! 

But entirely different was our little neighbor ! Patient, 
uncomplaining, intensely interested, hoping and trusting, 
he could only utter with the "still small voice"! Again 
I ask, "How could it be otherwise?" His was the voice of 
Truth, which is the ever-present Christ, so oft and so 
long unheeded — ^yet the only voice that ever has, ever 
will or ever can guide us to the Kingdom of God ! 

So have I, in the best words at my command, described 
the vision so obscure to me then. I had not the least idea 
of its meaning. Nevertheless, the memory of it remained, 
though perhaps at times, unthought of for years. 



134 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

Not until I had passed the age of three score and ten 
did I gain the least comprehension of this vision, and 
again it came as before through suffering. But of this, 
more farther along. (See Job, 33:14.) 

Whoever may read this little book will of course form 
his or her opinion of this vision ; and perhaps, in most 
cases, such opinions may be adverse to my own, which is 
this: I believe that with Spiritual discernment I beheld 
the "two or three" that must be "gathered together" in 
His name. (Mat. 18:20.) Humanly condensed it was 
"Body, Mind and Soul !" 

To me, it was truly a heavenly vision, as direct as that 
described by Paul (Acts 26:13), and came from the same 
source. I believe this source to be entirely separate from 
human reason, and far higher than anything that ever 
comes through human mentality. I believe that the same 
power that first gave this vision, has preserved it so dis- 
tinctly in my memory. I believe I am nearer to — that is, 
have a better understanding of — that power in my later 
years (my seventies) than ever before. This is wit- 
nessed first by a complete change in my thought and also 
by promptings that have come to me since this change, in 
a manner that cannot be accounted for through reason or 
human knowledge. This has been repeated not less than 
six times, so plainly, that I could distinctly understand it. 
Also am I conscious of progressive work within myself 
that I do not yet comprehend. For these things I humbly 
and reverently thank my God, the author and giver of all 
good, for He is only GOOD ! 

Furthermore, as revelation came to me (though so 
long obscured) I believe it comes in some measure to 
everyone. But "the darkness comprehended it not." 
Nevertheless, there is a "true Light, which lighteth every 
man that cometh into the world." (John 1 :9.) 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 135 

During middle life, while actively engaged in busi- 
ness (success in which was my main object and desire), 
I had been a regular attendant in orthodox churches. 
While not a member, I was interested to an extent that 
made me a church trustee for about fifteen years. Later 
I became a member of both the Universalist and Uni- 
tarian churches, not an unusual thing for an unsatisfied 
Christian. These two denominations are commonly 
known in this country as the liberal churches. Such for 
a time they seemed to me, but in later years, orthodox 
and liberal are not so unlike as to justify any wide dis- 
tinction. They are all aiming to do good, and just about 
equal each other in motive, loyalty and earnestness. 

Wandering farther in the "wilderness", the cloudy 
maze of uncertainty. Mental Science (so-called) had at- 
tracted my attention, and was an added experience. For 
a time this pretentious "science" seemed a helping hand 
but finally proved not only its utter inefficacy to benefit, 
but its baneful influence for harm. I have respect for 
the doctors and for the churches, but none whatever for 
what is called "Mental Science." It is, in fact, mental 
unscience, which would endeavor to control God's man 
("made in His likeness") by and through the man made 
of the "dust of the ground," whose life is in "his nos- 
trils." (See Isaiah 2:22.) 

Whoever depends on mental science (so-called), is 
starving, in the effort to sustain himself on unsatisfactory 
husks. 

I have enjoyed the companionship of many friends 
in all the various churches referred to, and feel entire 
good-will for each and every one of them. Surely their 
object and effect is toward good, the lifting up of hu- 
manity; and this glorious motive should unite all Chris- 
tians in sympathetic harmony. Let rivalry in efforts to 



136 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

do that which is useful and right, and for true religious 
advancement, take the place of comparing or criticising. 
(See Rom. 2:1-4, also Phil. 4:8.) 

How commonly and carelessly we speak of families 
as belonging to this or that denomination, as if religious 
belief was a question of family birth, and so children 
are to follow parental influence. A sect of Christian 
believers clings tenaciously to the opinion of a man 
who lived a few years ago. It is said there are a hun- 
dred and fifty (perhaps more) differing sects of Chris- 
tians. Some differ but slightly from their neighbors, 
while between others there seems strong antagonism. 
Moreover, most of them make occasional changes in 
their doctrines. And so it has been for centuries. All 
cannot be right, for strictly speaking there is but one 
right. Variations of doctrines and occasional changes 
of belief are not satisfactory. 

Let us all try to be fair, one toward another. Jesus 
said, "By their fruits ye shall know them." If the prej- 
udice of birth or education or any other circumstance 
unfits us for judging doctrines and beliefs, let us look to 
the fruits, for comparison; who is doing the most good? 
What is somewhat indefinitely called orthodoxy, 
may not appeal to me, yet my father was a Presbyterian 
elder for about forty years. This tribute does his oft- 
mistaken son pay to his memory: After so many years 
of experience, I never knew a better man ! 

CHAPTER VII. 

"Twice." 

"God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth 
it not." (Job, 33 :14.) This truth has indeed been ex- 
emplified. 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 137 

In a former chapter I have described a severe iUness 
with its attendant suffering. It would seem that this 
should have been sufficient for one lifetime. But no, 
many years later when I had passed the allotted "three 
score and ten" came other forms of suffering and pain 
not less severe than the earlier experience. In the first 
I retained hope, while in the later trial, even the door of 
hope seemed closed and barred. Briefly, I was suffering 
from the effects of disease which was first observed 
when I was a little boy and had given trouble periodi- 
cally for sixty years with a tendency to grow worse. I 
was so utterly cast down that not only hope — but even 
desire to live — had passed away, and I thought my 
Maker unjust because my life was not at once destroyed. 
Annihilation seemed such a simple solution of the mat- 
ter; and so I declared man better than God! (Read the 
third chapter of Job, especially verses 17 to 21.) 

Although knowing and acknowledging that goodness 
had not been my aim as much as it should have been, 
what had I done that I should be tortured? Why did 
not God, if He was merciful, just blot me out of exist- 
ence, which simple request was all that I asked? I de- 
nied His kindness, mercy, love or justice! I thought and 
said that "My father or my mother were better than this 
being you call God, for neither of them would permit 
even the vilest to suffer like this! And if He does not 
send this torment, He permits it, which is just as bad!" 

More I said, which I would willingly forget. 

Men think they know their wants, but where is the 
human being who knows his needs? I, for one, have 
never seen him. Certainly I did not know my needs. 

Imagine a man afloat and alone on the stormy waves ! 
Imagine a man standing on the roof of a high build- 
ing from which flame and smoke were pouring from 



138 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

every window ! Imagine a man in a vast desert pursued 
by a pack of hungry wolves! Like these seemed my 
condition. But "man's extremity is God^s opportunity." 

Medicine, Theology, and Suggestion (will power) 
had, like Job^s three friends, "stood still and answered 
no more." (Job 32:16.) Then came, like a rising star, 
before unnoticed, a speaker that amazed all, with words 
that to me, were like the words of Elihu to Job: "the 
voice of one crying in the wilderness." 

Job had mistaken chastening instruction for cruel 
persecution. And this also has been the mistake of 
countless thousands. Moreover, this mistake must be 
corrected, here or hereafter, before any shall be able 
to say "but now mine eye seeth Thee!" (Job 42:5.) 
"The Lord hath His way in the whirlwind and in the 
storm !" (Nahum 1 :3.) This tempest is wholly within 
the human consciousness. 

CHAPTER VHL 

Conclusion. 

Here ends what the writer has to say of the book of 
Job. I believe myself justified in seeing a certain 
analogy between Job's experience and those of other 
men as exemplified in myself. Not that I have yet at- 
tained the elevation that came to him through the voice 
out of the whirlwind, but unmistakable utterances have 
come to me from a source higher than human reason. 
This I know, and no man nor any human combination 
can take it from me. I have heard the voice of the fore- 
runner and am watching and listening for the higher 
voice of truth (John 14:17), which comes not through 
human reasoning! 

The grandest instruction I have been able to obtain 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 139 

from a careful study of the book of Job (and likewise 
supported through my own experience), is its teaching 
of the vast power which is opened to man through spirit- 
ual sight and hearing. The "voice out of the whirlwind," 
"the thunder of his power," 

Job was, and is, a type of the regenerated man, when 
brought to an understanding of truth, when transformed 
by the ever present Christ, which was "before Abraham" 
and "before the world was." 

Through suffering he had gone down to a point 
where there were just two paths before him. One was 
a broad avenue, which lead down "into the pit", and 
was plainly apparent to his human sense — the end of 
his human existence. The other was "the narrow way," 
which is only discerned spiritually. And just here his 
spiritual eyes were first opened by Elihu (Job 33:22-24). 
Later came the instructing voice of God, the unseen 
though ever existing and ever present, Christ. 

But "Elias truly shall first come." (Mat. 17:11-13.) 
He who through pain and suffering is brought down to 
the pit, realizes, that God is his only refuge or strength ; 
as others, may not. 

Like Job, men mistake instruction for persecution 
until their eyes are opened by the voice of Truth, which 
is the Christ. To our human understanding, suffering 
is not enjoyable and therefore does not meet our wants. 
But if it strengthens our desires to be free (from affliction 
of any kind), does it not make us more earnest in seeking 
for that Truth which makes us free? Then it is plain that 
suffering meets not our wants, but our needs; which are 
"absolute faith in God", and "Spiritual understanding 
of Him." 

Paul had his "thorn in the flesh" and asked for re- 
lief from it, "besousrht the Lord three times." Turn to 



140 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

your Bible, my friend, and read the answer he received. 
Then he saw and realized the supporting power 
of the ever-present Christ. Spiritual strength is 
developed through human suffering. (II Cor. 12:7-10.) 
Our closed eyes are opened by chastisement. Job's case 
illustrates this. Elihu first pointed it out to him, but. 
The Christ — the voice out of the whirlwind — compelled 
him to understand it! 

If the Christ, is immortal Good, from Heaven (his 
sphere), to the earthly man, — who shall say it did not 
come in ancient days? If it came in the man Jesus 
nineteen centuries ago, who shall say it did not come 
through cloud and storm ages before? Who shall say it 
comes not today, through the whirlwind of affliction? 
Verily "the wind bloweth where it listeth!" Who shall 
tell of "that which is born of Spirit?" (John 3:6.) 

Paul did not at first comprehend the benefit of suf- 
fering, or rather that which comes through suffering. He 
therefore sought escape from it. But after the answer he 
received, through revelation, then he realized that even 
in the flesh he was protected sufficiently by Spiritual 
power. — "My Grace!" His need was indeed supplied 
from the same source that made him immune from the 
viper's poison. His continued "thorn in the flesh" — per- 
haps the frequent recurrence of physical pain — was con- 
stantly overcome. This realization of Spiritual support 
made him to exclaim, "When I am weak, then am I 
strong!" Strong through Faith! Faith through a com- 
prehension of Spirit — the ever-present Power which 
comes to man through the Christ when man "seeth" this 
truth. So was he protected from the effect of this 
thorn in the flesh," as a "first fruit of the Spirit" while 
patiently waiting for his complete healing, which his 
strong faith told him would certainly be established. 
(Romans 8:18.) 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 141 

And why not? Is it difficult for a Christian to realize 
that the Spiritual force which helps him, can heal him? 
Did not the Master proclaim and explain the unlimited 
power of Spirit ? Get to work, my brother, on this teach- 
ing! Paul's wonderful eighth chapter of Romans will 
help you. 

Man is regenerated, "born again", when the Spiritual 
overcomes the human, or "that which is born of the flesh." 
In infancy there is no apparent, distinguish- 
able intelligence. Knowledge develops as the 
human body grows. The child has life (from 
God), as distinctly as the man of mature years, 
but the human mind is like a bodily growth. Is it not 
"born of the flesh?" Boys grow up as frequently with 
their father's peculiarities, as with resemblance of features 
or of bodily form or strength. We may dimly compre- 
hend that human thought may have much to do with this 
"earthy" man. But of Life, — how little we know! (1st 
Cor. 15:47-48.) 

Life, real Life, could no more be comprehended by 
Darwin or Haeckel than by you or me. And ask you 
why? Read Paul's answer. (1st Cor. 2:14.) 

Life is Spirit! Spirit is God! Can Man "by search- 
ing (reasoning) find out God?" 

I am searching for a place to stop, but am reluctant 
to leave my dear old friend. Job, whom I have learned to 
love even as an elder brother; and why not? 

Irresistibly was I drawn to him ; at first not thinking 
much on the subject, nor realizing that he might take 
any special interest in me. But from simply bidding him 
an occasional good-morning I began to talk with him and 
consult him (through studying the book), and later to 
visit him daily. How kind he was and is! How many 
instructive lessons he is giving me ! From first to last I 



142 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

grow more and more to regard and to revere him as the 
highest example of a sublimely grand man, purified and 
exalted, purged of his dross and demonstrating Heaven 
on Earth. 

But, reader, whoever you may be, go and see him for 
yourself. He lives just over the hill, is constantly at 
home, will be glad to see you, and is always ready to 
talk — provided you desire to listen. And you will be 
surprised when you see him, to find that notwithstanding 
his age, his form is erect, his eye clear, his complexion 
ruddy, his hair and beard not white, but only streaked 
with the iron gray of maturity, and with a happy face 
that grows more kindly as you know him longer. He 
will tell you, possibly, more of the Bible than you may 
have before observed or at least comprehended ; for he has 
attained that spiritual understanding, so far above that 
which grows upon the tree of knowledge. 

For example, taking up the first chapter of Genesis, 
he will tell you to read it very carefully, and also include 
the first three verses of the second chapter. This covers 
the first account of creation, and "let there be light," was 
the voice of God. By His command, all things were 
made, and, as seen by Him, declared to be good, and at 
last "very good". (See also John 1 : 1-2-3.) 

Now follows a second and a widely different account 
of creation, and this variation has been a stumbling block 
to many earnest Bible readers and students. So it cer- 
tainly was to me. There are the two opposite accounts ! 
Read them and compare them. Certain titled professors, 
learned in their ways, have attempted to harmonize these 
two conflicting narrations by saying that the first is gen- 
eral only, while the second is more specific, going into 
details and particulars. If these learned men can satisfy 
themselves or others, they certainly have failed to con- 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 143 

vince thousands of earnest Christians who are seeking 
truth. 

In my earlier days (looking through darkness or 
mist), these conclusions seemed plainly apparent. 

1st. Here the Bible gives two distinctly opposite 
statements. 

2nd. If one is true, the other must be false. 

3rd. Knowing not which statement to believe, — 
these accounts of creation were of no value. 

And still today, I affirm, that any man who depends 
entirely or mainly on human reasoning, as he reads these 
two accounts, will arrive at the same conclusion. 

But the man who through the experience of pain and 
suffering ; or through the experience of revelation ; or the 
experience of exact study; or through these three, will be 
able to understand, that the first account is spiritual, and 
therefore true, while the second account, is at its best but 
a counterfeit. The first is of God, Good; the second is 
of evil, the opposite of good. Will this account for their 
incongruity ? 

We will only take up briefly one item of these two 
accounts, — the creation of man. 

In the first account we read : "And God said. Let us 
make man in our image, after our likeness : So God 
created man in his own image, in the image of God 
created he him; male and female created he them." (Gen. 
1 :26-27.) 

Consult your dictionary for the words. Image and 
Likeness. For brevity we will use only the latter — 
LIKENESS. 

Jesus said, "God is spirit"; or "a Spirit", if you prefer. 
Clearly then, the man in His "likeness", the resemblance 
of God, must be spiritual. 

Have mortal eyes ever beheld Spirit, or a spiritual 
man? 



144 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

Is the human body — simply a material growth — spirit- 
ual, or likeness of God? 

Is human, finite intelligence, — reasoning and often 
blundering, — spiritual, or in any way, the likeness of God, 
who is infinite, and perfect? 

Is the enfeebled body of a sick mortal, — spiritual, or 
likeness of God? 

Is the uncertain, or unreliable, or careless, or greedy, 
or covetous, or dishonest, or vicious, or cruel-minded man, 
in any respect, the "likeness" of Divinity? On the con- 
trary this "minded man" is the culprit which is named 
by Paul the "carnal mind"; and he also declares it to be 
"enmity against God". (Rom. 8:7.) 

Generally speaking, evil, even though it may not al- 
ways govern, usually predominates in the human mind. 
It is the parent of greed. It is the "old man" which with 
his deeds must be "put off" ! It overcame Eve and Adam ; 
and caused Cain to kill his brother. It planned for Laban 
and Jacob to deceive and defraud each other. Evil made 
David an adulterer and a murderer! It caused Peter to 
deny his Master ! It made Paul even after his wonderful 
enlightenment, to exclaim, "Oh, wretched man that I 
am !" Evil, starting from nihility, seems to develop with 
the growth of every child, as innocence prattles and 
toddles itself into wilfulness. 

From whence comes this "minded man"? Human 
mind is not life, nor of life. It is not found in infancy 
though it seems to show itself soon after birth. If of 
human growth, it must also have human decay. Call it 
reason, if you prefer, and then define it. Does there live, 
or has there ever lived, two men who reasoned alike? No. 
Then it necessarily follows that if one man reasoned cor- 
rectly, all the rest of humanity must be more or less mis- 
taken. This is why I call reason the "great unreliable." 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 145 

Let us not by any means undervalue reason, made for 
our servant, but let no man "bow down before it", for in so 
doing, he breaks the first commandment. He dishonors 
the one, true and only GOD ! 

Human reason is only too ready to be drawn into 
companionship with evil. Who shall say that the history 
of evil (the devil) did not begin with the fourth verse of 
the second chapter of Genesis? Here begins the second 
account of creation, in which after "there went up a mist 
from the earth," the "Adam man", is formed out of the 
"dust of the ground" (like child's play), and a little later 
a helpmate is made for him, from one of his own ribs ! 
So runs the description of the Adam family, made in the 
UN LIKENESS of God. A cloudy, unsatisfactory pair. 

Now, this family, it is stated, were put in possession of 
a home, free from care or labor and given all they needed 
and yet were unsatisfied. Knowledge was what they 
wanted. The serpent (Leviathan, Devil) gratuitously in- 
formed them how to obtain it, and humanity has been 
working perilously, by or through it, ever since — regard- 
less oftentimes of that Spirit voice, which whispers to 
the well-intentioned, warns the careless, rebukes falsity, 
and thunders to wickedness, — "Thou shalt have no other 
gods before ME !" 

How vast and absolute is the separateness of the man 
of "dust", the extreme dissimilarity, of that which is firm 
and reliable, — when compared with the man "created in 
the image of God !" — Spiritual man ! 

We, perhaps, look at and think of (no offense now — 
nor unkindness), Prof. Wise or the Rev. Dr. Goodman 
or of Bishop Smiley, as types of excellent men and mis- 
takenly call them very-spiritual-men. So! Job will tell 
you that he never saw a representative of spiritual man 
until Elihu came to him. He will also say that the really 



146 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

spiritual man is never seen by mortal eye, nor heard by 
human ear, because he is the Hkeness of God, Spirit. He 
will, moreover, declare and make it plain that the spiritual 
man (Likeness of God) has Life ; while the man of "dust" 
has the "breath of life", "breathed into his nostrils." 
Isaiah says, "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his 
nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?" Did 
Isaiah here refer to the reasoning man, — the great Unre- 
liable? 

I am really anxious to stop ; and will therefore try to 
mention the name of my elder brother but little more. 

If you, reader, will take the advice of Job, drawn from 
the experience of thousands of years ago, you will go to 
your home, take up your Bible (or perhaps take it down 
from its neglected shelf) and study the two accounts of 
creation, until you are able to understand to a tangible 
extent, the absolute separateness between the Spiritual 
man, — and the reasoning man. 

Then you may be able to read and to understand the 
Book of Books, as never before. You will realize this 
saying of Jesus "that which is born of the flesh, is flesh; 
and that which is born of the Spirit, is Spirit." (John 3 :6.) 

Spiritual man alone can comprehend Spiritual truth. 
Human reason is of the earth, earthy. (1st Cor. 15:48.) 

And if you will also call upon Paul and listen atten- 
tively to him, he will confirm and make clear this absolute 
separateness between the Spiritual man, — and the reason- 
ing mind (which he has justly named "Carnal Mind") in 
"precept upon precept — line upon line." (Isaiah 28:10-13.) 
Where is the man, wise enough to comprehend even this 
one chapter (28th) of Isaiah except he absolutely separ- 
ates the Spiritual from the (humanly) intellectual? (Read 
Isaiah 27 and 28.) 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 147 

FINAL 

The Christian Scientist who reads this book will easily 
comprehend its meaning. The writer was brought down 
literally to the grave and was raised up to behold a new 
condition of life through Christian Science, which came 
to him even as "The Whirlwind" came to Job. (See Chap- 
ter 38.) 

This was nearly six years ago. I had for years studied 
and endeavored to understand the Bible, but its sacred 
pages were dim to my weary eyes. Theology gave me 
little or no light. I revered and loved the life and char- 
acter of Jesus, so far as I could understand it, and also 
often read from Paul. The value of the old testament 
seemed to rest chiefly in Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesi- 
astes. I could see little in the books of Moses or the 
prophets. Job seemed one of the most instructive books 
in the old testament. I became a member of the Unitar- 
ian and the Universalist churches, thinking them in ad- 
vance of what is called orthodoxy, and to sum up, was an 
unsatisfied Christian. 

While in this state of thought, I wrote three books on 
the subject of religion. The first found much fault with 
creeds and the divided and inharmonious beliefs of the 
varying organizations, which make up the most of Chris- 
tianity; also with the leaders and controllers of such or- 
ganizations, but not with the members. The second was 
an attempt to review parts of the Bible; an example of 
"darkening counsel by words without knowledge," and 
was decidedly worse than the former. The third was the 
result of looking (superficially) into Confucianism, Bud- 
dhism, etc., and naturally enough in the order of climax, 
worse than either of its predecessors. The three taken 
together were not distinctly good nor wholly bad, but 



148 JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 

only illustrated the tangled condition of unsatisfied Chris- 
tians. Perhaps their number is increasing, for many in- 
deed are asking "why"? They are not satisfied by un- 
proved and uncertain assertions, which often conflict one 
with another. Theology is being called upon to answer 
questions as never before. 

Permit me, my theological brother, for humanity's 
sake, to ask just one; predicating as follows: 

1st. Jesus healed the sick by Divine power. 

2nd. Commanded his disciples also to do the same 
and they obeyed him. 

3rd. He said, "He that believeth on me, the works 
that I do shall he do also." (John 14:12.) 

4th. Let us carefully consider Matthew 28th, begin- 
ning at verse 18. "And Jesus came and spake unto them, 
saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in 
earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations — teaching 
them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded 
you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of 
the world." 

Now in all kindness, my brother, this is the question 
referred to: If Christ is "with you alway," why are you 
not teaching us, even in this age, "to observe all" his com- 
mandments, including healing the sick? 

Today Christian Science is following this command. 
Today it is reforming the sinner and healing the sick, To- 
day it is raising thousands of sufferers from beds of pain. 
Today it is restoring sight to blinded and weary eyes. To- 
day it is a means of enabling the lame to walk. Today 
it is overcoming all manner of disease. Today it is re- 
claiming and transforming those who have been slaves 
to liquor and tobacco. Today it is giving its members 
a greater love for, and understanding of, the Bible. Today 
it is enabling them to realize that Spiritual control, both 



JOB AND HIS FRIENDS 149 

of the human mind and the human body, is a present 
possibility. 

Thousands of earnest and sincere testimonies of all 
these benefits are repeated by grateful hearts in the Wed- 
nesday evening meetings in Christian Science Churches, 
and happy faces verify the truth of their words. 
Similar attestations are published in Christian Science 
books and periodicals. But the final influence which sat- 
isfies man, is that which comes completely through his 
own consciousness. Therefore am I happy in saying I am 
a Christian Scientist! 

Happy am I, indeed, to realize what Christian Science 
has done for me, in healing my body from pain and suf- 
fering and in reclaiming my mistaken human mind 
through its message of truth and divine love. 

Happy am I in witnessing its healing and saving ef- 
fect upon others. 

Happy am I in looking at the faces of hundreds of 
men and women, who are today turning to Christian 
Science, hearing its voice and longing to know more 
of it. 

Happy am I in the firm belief that this is the re- 
stored Christianity which can save the world. 

Happy am I in a better comprehension of myself and 
a higher understanding of the teachings of the Bible. 

These facts are unfolding and growing more clear : 

The Christian must realize the Kingdom of Heaven 
within. 

In this Kingdom, the reign of the Spiritual man, must 
be recognized and maintained. 

This, the government of Soul, will free the human 
mind from sin and sorrow, and the human body, from 
sickness and pain. 

This condition must be attained now or hereafter. 



HC]! IS mm 



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Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: June 2005 

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